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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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 Posted: Sep 17, 2012 02:55 Post subject: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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We live in (arguably) the most beautiful place in the world:-) and as my wife and I spend so much time in the mountains and valleys, I hope it is OK with Jordi that we share some of our quartz collecting trips with you. The Western Cape does not nearly have the variety of quartz that the Northern Cape has, but it is on our doorstep and we find many specimens of interest and beauty. Most places that we visit are on private properties, where we go with kind permission of farmers.
I will start this topic with a very recent outing (last Friday to a farm outside Ceres) and use this as a platform for future posts on this topic. I hope all you quartz lovers out there will enjoy:-)
As soon as I clean some of these specimens, I will photograph and share them here.
| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
Riana found her own pocket of Quartz crystals and spent hours, carefully cleaning it out. |
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112754 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
Close up of Riana in action |
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112726 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
A close up of Riana's pocket with a few crystals from it. |
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112719 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
Not far from Riana's find (about 30 metres away), I also found a promising pocket in this rock wall. |
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112753 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
The pocket kept going in deeper with small to medium sized clusters and single crystals coming out regularly. |
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112815 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
n/a
A medium sized cluster from the above pocket. |
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112761 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| While banging on a rock to remove it, this small snake, an egg eater came out and I managed to get a nice photo of it. |
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112769 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Catching snakes was a hobby of mine for years, and I caught the small snake to just make sure it is an egg eater and not a night adder. The first is harmless, but the second poisonous. |
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112780 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| This area has many smaller pockets that looks promising but does not necessary deliver much. |
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| Viewed: |
112815 Time(s) |
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Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4986
Location: Barcelona
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| Posted: Sep 17, 2012 03:28 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| Pierre Joubert wrote: | | ....I hope it is OK with Jordi that we share some of our quartz collecting trips with you... |
That's great. Please keep posting...
Jordi
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 17, 2012 04:08 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| Jordi Fabre wrote: | | Pierre Joubert wrote: | | ....I hope it is OK with Jordi that we share some of our quartz collecting trips with you... |
That's great. Please keep posting...
Jordi |
Thank you Jordi. Pardon my poor English as I am Afrikaans speaking :-)
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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| Posted: Sep 17, 2012 04:32 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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This is a great thread Pierre, I look forward to more postings. Can't wait to see that cluster cleaned.
It is important to document the exact locality please.
Lekker !
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 18, 2012 06:03 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| Debbie Woolf wrote: | This is a great thread Pierre, I look forward to more postings. Can't wait to see that cluster cleaned.
It is important to document the exact locality please.
Lekker ! |
Hi Debbie, I see you still know the odd Afr. word :-) (lekker means nice)That cluster was a disappointment; lost a number of crystals when cleaned. Often a specimen looks like a million Dollars when full of dirt, but once cleaned, it looks very plain. Riana has not cleaned her crystals yet; I have started and here are some from my pocket. Later on I will attempt to show some of the best from this area, collected over the last few weeks. I cannot give the exact locality as it is private property, but I can tell you that it is in the Ceres area, some 30 km from our home. It is a massive quartz outcrop, stretching for a number of km, over at least 7 farms. If you ever visit SA again, we can take you there.
| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
114 x 76mm
The cluster partially cleaned |
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112578 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
49 x 25 x 10 mm
A beautiful, flat floater with a crystal inclusion |
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112513 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
49 x 25 x 10 mm |
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112525 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
28 x 18 x 08 mm
Oh! A little floater like this makes a trip worth the while. Too beautiful! |
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112533 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
28 x 18 x 08 mm
The same little floater from a slightly different angle |
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112482 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
28 x 18 x 08 mm
The same little floater from a slightly different angle |
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112559 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
43 x34 x 26 mm |
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112486 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
43 x34 x 26 mm
The above specimen at another angle |
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112541 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
33 x 27 x 12 mm
Quite an amazing little floater; no damage, not even to the 'stem' |
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112539 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
33 x 27 x 12 mm |
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112576 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
36 x 13 x 12 mm
This lovely single crystal is typical of this area; 'self healed' at the bottom |
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112527 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
50 x 12 x 12 mm
Another typical specimen from this area, also 'self healed' at the bottom |
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112507 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz, clay and manganese
Western Cape, Ceres
65 x 58 x 39 mm
A number of quartz crystals captured in a mixture of clay and manganese |
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112508 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Western Cape, Ceres
14 x 08 x 07 mm
'herkimer' type quartz crystal; relatively common in the Western Cape. |
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112497 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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GneissWare
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 1287
Location: California
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| Posted: Sep 18, 2012 09:18 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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Pierre,
Very nice specimens. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to your future reports!
Bob
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 18, 2012 09:36 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| GneissWare wrote: | Pierre,
Very nice specimens. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to your future reports!
Bob |
Thanks Bob! If time and sunshine allow, I have so much to share; got to pace myself:-)
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 10, 2012 08:39 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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I wish to show a few more specimens from our new quartz find close to home and then show some photos of collecting areas and specimens from the larger Western Cape. Hopefully I can post some from the Northern Cape in the not too distant future. The specimens are not necessary the best from these areas but give a general indication of what we find. Some of the quartz crystals found from this area, are clearer than most we have ever seen. Hope you enjoy the photos.
| Description: |
| Riana busy removing a pocket of quartz crystals. The white is not snow but quartz. |
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111966 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz crystal
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
45 x 13 x 12 mm |
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112062 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz crystals
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
48 x 15 x 12 mm |
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112002 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Manganese ore?and quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
140 x 110 mm
I have sent a sample of this ore to the University to analyse. For the time being, I suspect it to be rich in manganese. |
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111987 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Manganese ore?and quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
The same specimen as above |
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112020 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Manganese ore?and quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
The same specimen as above. |
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112071 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Manganese ore?and quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
The same specimen as above |
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112000 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
52 x 35 x 20 mm |
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112032 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
46 x 16 x 13 mm
One of the faces of the crystal is pitted with minute holes, left by where small metallic crystals once sat. |
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112014 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
43 x 37 x 29 mm
A fairly average quartz cluster from this area. |
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111950 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
50 x 11 x 09 mm |
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111979 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
44 x 18 x 15 mm |
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112128 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Riana at another quartz outcrop. |
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111968 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| On our way to dig for crystals, we encounter scenery like this. |
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112009 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 10, 2012 13:56 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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The next few photos I wish to show, is a bit of a 'potpourri' as they are from around the Western Cape; some areas just a few kilometers away, while others much futher.
| Description: |
| Somewhere in the Ceres Karoo, one of our favorite places, taking a break. |
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112009 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Flowers hanging straight down from a rock face in the Ceres Karoo. |
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111988 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Which way should we go today? |
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112035 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Another one of our favorite places, an apple farm near Villiersdorp, Western Cape. |
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112036 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| The farmer has cleared a good section of the small hill to use the soil for farm roads. Guess what, he has uncovered crystal seams! |
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112178 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A typical pocket of crystals in clay from Villiersdorp. |
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111963 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
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111993 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Villiersdorp, Western Cape, SA
41 x 23 x 11 mm
A peculiar 'floater' |
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111995 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Smoky/citrine quartz
Villiersdorp
43 x 13 x 13 mm
Faceting quality quartz |
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111995 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz
Villiersdorp, Western Cape, SA
50 x 18 x 09 mm |
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111932 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz with chlorite inclusions
Villiersdorp, Western Cape, SA
29 x 11 x 10 mm |
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111974 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
quartz with chlorite inclusions
Villiersdorp, Western Cape, SA
29 x 11 x 10 mm
I am always fascinated by chlorite inclusions, especcialy unusual colours. |
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111945 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| You want quartz, you have to dig. Villiersdorp. |
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112016 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Quartz environment, Villiersdorp |
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111929 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Some of our helpers are fooling around. Villiersdorp |
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111975 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 10, 2012 14:46 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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The Western Cape is a vast area, stretching across hundreds of kilometers. Here are a few more photos of places and specimens found there.
| Description: |
| Exploring a manganese rich area near Gordons Bay, Western Cape, I was met by this scene high up in the mountains. |
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112022 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A real rock monster, consisting of manganese rich rock and sandstone. |
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112024 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Rock, rich in manganese. The photo was taken near Gordons Bay, Western Cape |
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111961 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Father and son; two good friends that joined us high up in the mountains on a private property near Robertson, Western Cape. |
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111991 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A beautiful little quartz cluster with the small pocket it came from. Near Robertson, WC. |
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111938 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A lovely quartz specimen. It still has to be cleaned. Robertson, WC. |
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112140 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A stunning, large cluster of quartz crystals, waiting to be removed. Robertson, WC. |
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112014 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| An interesting specimen of quartz, coated with hematite? manganese? Robertson, WC. |
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111979 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Spiders and scorpions are often encountered. Here is a Baboon spider, or Tarantula. Robertson, WC. |
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112073 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| While looking for mineral specimens, flowers are always appreciated. Robertson, WC. |
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111972 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Small caves full of quartz crystals, but out of reach. Robertson, WC. |
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112019 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Beautiful mountain scenery, Robertson, WC. |
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111964 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| It gets really hot up in these mountains and here we are taking a break from digging for crystals. Robertson, WC. |
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112037 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Way up in the mountains looking for quartz crystals. Robertson, WC. |
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| Viewed: |
111955 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A pocket of quartz crystals is found high up in the mountains. Robertson, WC. |
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| Viewed: |
112122 Time(s) |
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Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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supertxango
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 135
Location: Madrid
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| Posted: Oct 10, 2012 15:07 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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Hi Pierre,
Amazing report ! I would like to be with you there and dig those beautiful specimens.
Thank you very much for sharing with us.
Juan H
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 11, 2012 00:12 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| supertxango wrote: | Hi Pierre,
Amazing report ! I would like to be with you there and dig those beautiful specimens.
Thank you very much for sharing with us.
Juan H |
Hey Juan, you are welcome. Climb in your jet and fly over:-)
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 820
Location: MA
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| Posted: Oct 11, 2012 06:24 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| Great report, Pierre. Two of my favorite things, beautiful mountain vistas and digging out quartz pockets. Looks like paradise.
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 11, 2012 13:09 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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| vic rzonca wrote: | | Great report, Pierre. Two of my favorite things, beautiful mountain vistas and digging out quartz pockets. Looks like paradise. |
Thank you Vic . I must say, I quite enjoy your photos also. When are we going to see some more?
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Oct 18, 2012 11:36 Post subject: Re: Quartz collecting outings in South Africa |
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Here is a bit more from our vicinity, Western Cape, South Africa. Some of these photos where taken on very recent outings. Hope you can enjoy:-)
| Description: |
quartz with chlorite inclusions
Ceres, Western Cape, South Africa
24 x 23 x 18 mm
From a very recent find. I am always very excited to find these, hard to find type of quartz. |
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| Viewed: |
111688 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
quartz with chlorite inclusions
Ceres, Western Cape, South Africa
24 x 23 x 18 mm
The same specimen as above. |
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| Viewed: |
111643 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Quartz with phantom
Ceres, Western Cape, SA
16 x 16 x 02 mm |
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| Viewed: |
111645 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A view from one of the many properties where we collect. Notice the quartz outcrop. |
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| Viewed: |
111640 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A horned adder; found while looking for crystals; caught, photographed and released. |
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| Viewed: |
111759 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| The same snake, close up. |
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| Viewed: |
111651 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| Amazing plant, reminds me of rhodochrosite |
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| Viewed: |
111623 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| The same amazing plant. I have only seen this plant (flower) in this area (Ceres) |
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| Viewed: |
111643 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
| A small pocket of quartz crystals. Not worth opening up, but beautiful enough to photograph. |
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| Viewed: |
111550 Time(s) |
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_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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