FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[ian jones]

I acquired this Middlehope fluorite recently. The specimens from here were mined c1818 when a large find of crystallized green fluorite occurred. Whilst they have a very distinctive matrix unlike all other Weardale locations, they are almost never labelled as coming from Middlehope, but usually as Heights Mine, a well-known source of green fluorite that was worked about 1850-1868 and by collectors in the second half of the 1900s.

However, memories of Heights Mine must be fading, as this one has been brought completely up to date. It was labelled as coming from Rogerley Mine, which is currently being worked for green fluorite specimens.

Whilst this one was easy to correctly locate, it does make you wonder just how many specimens are incorrectly attributed to a particular mine. I'd guess a significant percentage. And of course, once a mine appears on a label, that tends to be it, that's where it comes from for perpetuity.

[Jesse Fisher]

I've never seen one labeled "Rogerley" before. Just shows how, when faced with a specimen lacking specific location information, many folks will just choose the most obvious one rather than leave a specimen with a vague or general location attribute. Specimens are more likely to sell with detailed information, but if one is going to make a guess at it, let's hope that the guess is at least an educated one.

If anyone is interested in the story (as I know it) of the Middlehope fluorites, a synopsis is posted here:
https://www.ukminingventures.com/mystery.htm
(link normalized by FMF)

Below is one that I acquired not long ago. It was labeled "Heights Mine."