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Naica Mine - (11)
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Jordi Fabre
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 09:57    Post subject: Naica Mine - (11)  

Past days grew here one very interesting thread related with Naica -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=892 , so maybe is the time to create a thread devoted to this exceptional mining area.

I start it with this classic combo Fluorite & Galena.



Fluorite with Galena Naica Mexico.jpg
 Description:
Fluorite with Galena, Arsenopyrite and Calcite
Naica mining area, Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico
Mined about 1980
Specimen size: 7.7 × 5.5 × 4.1 cm.
Main crystal size: 3.5 × 2.9 cm.
Former Jan Buma collection. Number 020801
Photo: Reference Specimens -> http://www.fabreminerals.com/specimens/RSBUM-buma-notable-specimens.php#FD29H0
 Viewed:  82976 Time(s)

Fluorite with Galena Naica Mexico.jpg


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Antonio Alcaide
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 12:23    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Here you have my humble contribution.

Regards,
Antonio

Note of the coordinator of the forum:
Locality corrected by petition -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=9246#9246
Formerly attributed to Naica.



YESO NAICA.JPG
 Description:
Gypsum (Var: Selenite)
Laguna del Rey in Coahuila, about 250km east of Naica.
13 x 11 cm (main crystal measuring 10 cm). From my personal collection
 Viewed:  82882 Time(s)

YESO NAICA.JPG



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Peter Megaw
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 12:27    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Nice example fo the recent greens with sulfide inclusions from the 520 Level orebody.

Here are some of the collector size gypsums



naicaxal.jpg
 Description:
Exhibit in mine office with specimens in front of cross section through mine showing multiple chimneys
 Viewed:  82890 Time(s)

naicaxal.jpg



naicaxal2.jpg
 Description:
My candidate for the finest gypsum crystal to come out of Naica. This sits in an exhibit case in the mine office and is flawless
 Viewed:  82918 Time(s)

naicaxal2.jpg



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Peter Megaw
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 12:28    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Antonio, nice piece, but it is not from Naica. These distinctive crystals come from Laguna del Rey in Coahuila, about 250km east of Naica.
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 12:34    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

A Single gypsum crystal with some matrix still attached and showing through from the base. This is one of the thick "parallelogram" type crystals.


Naica gypsum.jpg
 Description:
Gypsum var. selenite
Naica Mine, Naica, Municipio de Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico
14x7x6cm
Former Anthony Gricius collection
 Viewed:  82886 Time(s)

Naica gypsum.jpg


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Antonio Alcaide
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 12:45    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Thanks, Peter, for the correction. "Wrong american seller", I'm afraid. I'm going to change my label. I was a bit hesitant because I hadn't found those crystals on Mindat page about Naica (they don't appear on Coahuila page though, but your opinion is beyond all doubt for me).

Regards.

(Please, Jordi, correct the text or erase the post. Thanks a lot).

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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 13:35    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

A nice little cluster of spinel-twin fluorite, acquired at Tucson last year.


NaicaTwin-b.jpg
 Description:
Spinel-twinned fluorite crystals, 3 cm across, Naica.
 Viewed:  82871 Time(s)

NaicaTwin-b.jpg


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Jordi Fabre
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 15:42    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Antonio Alcaide wrote:
Please, Jordi, correct the text or erase the post...

Corrected -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=9242#9242
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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 17:42    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Jesse...check those fluorite crystals carefully...some have inclusions of curling and curving fibres of an elongate sulfosalt.

Speaking of sulfosalts...here's a cute little bournonite from Naica

and another fluorite



Naica Bournoniteweb.jpg
 Description:
Bournonite, Naica with calcite and fluorite. These also grow on fluorite. 2 cm.
 Viewed:  82851 Time(s)

Naica Bournoniteweb.jpg



Naica fluorite phantom.jpg
 Description:
Fluorite, cubic with trisoctahedral modifications with earlier octahedral stage phantom deined by galena crystals. Naica Mine. Scovil photo
 Viewed:  82820 Time(s)

Naica fluorite phantom.jpg



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PostPosted: Jan 16, 2010 17:43    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

fluorite phantom is 7 cm across a face
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PostPosted: Jan 18, 2010 10:19    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Similar to the Fabre's piece, this Fluorite was purchased to Natura Kucera (Barcelona) in 1986, and it was collected few months ago, probably the same year.
Fluorite crystals are slightly beveled by de dodecahedron and Galena crystals are twinned (spinel twin)



Fluorita 1986 06.jpg
 Description:
Fluorite
Gibraltar Mine, Naica, México.
5,5 x 6,8 x 4,9 cm
main crystal 3,7 x 3,7 x 4,1 cm
 Viewed:  82675 Time(s)

Fluorita 1986 06.jpg


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PostPosted: Jan 20, 2010 10:15    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

A cute Gypsum from upper oxide levels of Naica Mine.


Gypsum Naica Mexico.jpg
 Description:
Gypsum
Upper oxide levels, Naica Mine, Naica, Municipio de Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico
Crystal size: 15 x 2 cm.
Former James Catmur collection
Photo: Joan Rosell
 Viewed:  82678 Time(s)

Gypsum Naica Mexico.jpg



Gypsum Naica Mexico up.jpg
 Description:
The same crystal standing up
 Viewed:  82530 Time(s)

Gypsum Naica Mexico up.jpg



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PostPosted: Jan 20, 2010 14:03    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Thank you Jordi for calling this gypsum and not selenite.
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PostPosted: Jan 20, 2010 14:12    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Gypsum is what it is, Master. ;-)
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PostPosted: Jan 21, 2010 02:34    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Yes, grasshopper, but it is the Naica Mine...not the Gibraltar


grasshopper.jpg
 Description:
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grasshopper.jpg



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PostPosted: Jan 21, 2010 03:23    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

OK Master 2.

Anyway, I have a doubt. In https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=9227#9227 you said:
Peter Megaw wrote:
Gibraltar was operated by Eagle Picher Mining until it was purchased by the Fresnillo Mining Company (now Penoles...which spun off the new Fresnillo pls in 2008) in 1955. The Gibraltar name survives as the name of one of the two hoisting shafts, the upper part of which used to service what was the Gibraltar Mine. However, it is inaccurate to call it the Gibraltar Mine. Penoles, has used the Naica name since they acquired and consolidated the district in 1955 and began sulfide production. ALL specimens from the sulfide zone should be labeled Naica Mine.

and this Gypsum is quite old, so it could been mined in the former Gibraltar mine? and if yes, what is adequate, the name that the mine had when the specimen was mined or the current's mine name? ;-)

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PostPosted: Jan 21, 2010 10:01    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

It is possible since the entire mountain seems to be riddled with gypsum pockets...but the Cave of the Swords and sister cavern where most of the historic gypsum specimens came in quantity from were in the Maravilla and Lepanto workings. I used to buy crystals by the carload from the mine manager...they harvested them from the Cave of the Swords, sold them and used th proceeds to pay for the refreshmensts served in the miner's club.

Unless you have some reason to think whoever made the label that goes with this piece really knew which mine it came from, you would probably be safest to put "upper oxide levels" "Naica Mine" on the label, perhaps noting a pre-1955 harvest date.

The mine is almost equally well endowed with anhydrite crystals, they are everywhere... except they don't choke up the pumping system and sumps or line enormous caverns. There has been a fair amount of work done on the origin/source of the gypsum and anhydrite...Google "Naica" and "Geology" and you will be led to the April 2007 article in the scientific journal "Geology" on the subject. Although it does have some significant flaws regarding crystal growth, it shows the that both the gypsum and anhydrite are derived from evaporite beds that occur in the host rock section below the principal limestone units. Both the limestone and anhydrite/avaporite beds at that depth are thoroughly thermally metamorphosed to coarse-grained marble...if that term can be applied to the evaporites. The ore fuids passing through dissolved the "primary" anhydrite and it reprecipitated as anhydrite with sulfides in the orebodies or gypsum on sulfides depending on the temperature. Interestingly the "secondary" anhydrite crystals we see from the mine are sky-blue to grayish blue in color whereas the bedded anhydrite at depth is lilac in color.



naica2.jpg
 Description:
Anhydrite crystal 12 cm long. Naica Mine
 Viewed:  82372 Time(s)

naica2.jpg



bigcrystals4.jpg
 Description:
Giant gypsum crystal from Naica Mine
 Viewed:  82417 Time(s)

bigcrystals4.jpg



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PostPosted: Jan 21, 2010 10:13    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Peter Megaw wrote:
...would probably be safest to put "upper oxide levels" "Naica Mine" on the label

I agree Master 2 ;-)

Already corrected in: https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=9309#9309
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PostPosted: Apr 18, 2010 16:32    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

A while ago, Peter Megaw wrote:
Jesse...check those fluorite crystals carefully... some have inclusions of curling and curving fibres of an elongate sulfosalt.
(...)
Fluorite, cubic with trisoctahedral modifications with earlier octahedral stage phantom defined by galena crystals.


Here's a Naica fluorite miniature (I had once shown it to Jordi in person) exhibiting all of these traits, as well as some nice calcite / chalcopyrite / sphalerite decorations on the matrix. Acquired by yours truly in October 2009, collection id 09MXFSCc3.
The overall specimen dimensions are 47x42x31mm.

The cube {100} and dodecahedron {110} faces are perfectly smooth, the other faces are frosted.

Stereo photos are in crossed-eyes mode.



09MXFSCc3a.jpg
 Description:
The shape and orientation of the bright {110} face provide the easiest way to deduce that the surrounding faces are {113}. {112} would give the same diamond shape with angles of 70.5° and 109.5° but oriented the other way, acute corners towards the cube face. {114} and higher forms would cut narrower rhombs out of the {110} face.
 Viewed:  81083 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3a.jpg



09MXFSCc3iA.jpg
 Description:
Side view (taken through the microscope), faces labelled with their Miller indices. Field of view 15x11.5mm.
 Viewed:  81102 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3iA.jpg



09MXFSCc3hS.jpg
 Description:
Same in stereo. The octahedral {111} faces are very small. FOV 9x16.7mm.
 Viewed:  81110 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3hS.jpg



09MXFSCc3eS.jpg
 Description:
Stereo view onto the top of the specimen. The interior is very pale green and perfectly transparent. (Note that the cube(001) face is "standing on end" as it were, its edges at 45° to the axes.)
 Viewed:  81112 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3eS.jpg



09MXFSCc3kS.jpg
 Description:
Close-up looking at the inclusions - as far as I can tell, there's both galena (the lustrous octahedra) and sphalerite (the rougher shapeless grains) among them. At this magnification (FOV 10.9x18.1mm), it becomes obvious that they sit on an otherwise almost invisible interior phantom which is mostly octahedral, except the corner pointing towards us is truncated by a small cube face, oriented the same way as the one through which we're looking.
 Viewed:  81081 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3kS.jpg



09MXFSCc3mS.jpg
 Description:
Magnifying even more (FOV 4.3x5.7mm) and looking at one edge of the phantom, whose apex is near the top right corner of the frame, we see that the galena/sphalerite grains rest just on the outside of the phantom shape, while small fibers of metallic luster sit just below the phantom surface.
The outer top face of the Fluorite through which we're looking is almost invisible now! If you look around a bit, you may discover one or two small blemishes on it showing up as bright dots, e.g. one near the lower right-hand edge of this frame.
 Viewed:  81067 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3mS.jpg



09MXFSCc3oS.jpg
 Description:
And one more at high mag (FOV 4.65x5.9mm), looking at the truncated apex of the interior phantom octahedron (a little below and to the right of the center of the frame).
 Viewed:  81149 Time(s)

09MXFSCc3oS.jpg


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PostPosted: Apr 19, 2010 15:53    Post subject: Re: Naica Mine - (11)  

Very often modifying faces on fluorite are misidentified. The usual confusion, when modifying faces of a cube occur in groups of three, is whether the faces belong to a trisoctahedron or a trapezohedron. Since the faces meet at a corner of the cube, where an octahedron would be if it were present, folks often think these faces belong to a trisoctahedron - the thinking being "trisoctahedron" - "three-octahedron" - "three [faces instead of an ] octahedron [face]". In my experience, these modifying faces usually belong to a trapezohedron, {311} being the most common. The Naica Mine fluorites are more complex, and I think Herr Niklasch is right in his analysis. But as a general rule, if the modifying faces appear primarily to cut off the edges of the cube, they belong to a trisoctahedron. If they appear primarily to cut off the faces, they belong to a trapezohedron. In either case, they modify the corner, with three faces replacing one hypothetical faces of an octahedron!

Trapezohedra have the general Miller indices {hkk}, where h is greater than k, e.g. {211}. Trisoctahedra have the general indices {hhk}, where h is greater than k, e.g. {221}. Since all three axes are equivalent in the isometric system, {211} can equally validly be written as {121} or {112}, where the curly brackets mean that the Miller indices represent all faces of the form, not just one face. {211} and {112} are common choices in different regions of the world; I think {121} is rarely if ever used when all three choices are equivalent.

Attached are a couple of drawings.



fluorite.jpg
 Description:
 Viewed:  81007 Time(s)

fluorite.jpg



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