FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

Don't miss it! :

The "Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen (MKA)" celebrates this year its 50th anniversary.

On the occasion of this Golden Jubilee :
• a symposium was organized on 12th October on the "Mineralogy of Belgium", https://www.minerant.org/MKA50.html. Some impressions of this remarkable day : https://www.minerant.org/MKA/MKA50.html#videoC.
• a mineral exhibition "Minerals from Belgium and Congo" is running in the University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerp. Mo-Fr 10-17 till 13th December (closed Sa, Su)
• a special issue of the journal "Geonieuws" on the "Mineralogy of Belgium" is published . This issue is also available in English translation as a pdf-file. It can be freely downloaded from : https://www.minerant.org/mineralsbelgium.pdf. We wish you interesting reading !

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi all,

I begin today uploading some pics of the exhibition "MKA, 50 years young" of which Jordi spoke in the previous post. It displays belgian minerals and minerals of the former belgian colonies: Rwanda, Burundi and D.R. of Congo (especially the latter one).

The exhibition is composed of samples (collected personally in many cases) belonging to the following members of MKA: Raymond Dedeyne, Rik Dillen, Jef Leybaert, Cyriel Matthé, Ludo Van Goethem, Paul Van hee, Albert Vercammen, Renaud Vochten and Iván Blanco. The exhibition includes some historical specimens of the Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen Brussels, and the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle du Luxembourg, whom we do thank for their cooperation.

As an "aperitif", here is an overview of the 17 display cases.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi, here some pics of the first display case. Sorry for the quality of some photos.

To have an idea of the specimen's dimension, please consider that the labels are 64 mm wide (~2.5 inches).

Enjoy it!

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi all,

Let's go further with the second display case.

I just remind you that labels are 64 mm wide (~2.5 inches).

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

We continue further in the second display case...

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Today I upload the display case N°3

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi,

the display case No. 4 is dedicated to the quarry located near Mont-sur-Marchienne, which has produced calcites with a great variety of crystal habits and combinations of forms. Twinned calcites are one of the identity signs of this quarry, which is already history.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Goodnight,

Specimens of calcite from the quarries of Beez, Solvay (Couillet) and Biesmerée are shown in the display case N° 5. Some of them were collected in the decades of the 60's and 70's of the past century.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi,

Let’s continue travelling across the world of Belgian calcites with the display case N°6, where representative specimens from Leffe, Rhisnes, Bioul, Chokier, Namèche, Couillet (Solvay), Landelies, Resteigne and Loverval are shown. Again some of them were collected in the decades of the 60's and 70's of the past century, even in the 19th century.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

and here are the last three of the 5th show case.

[Peter]

Congratulations to 50 years! Just when I started to collect myself. Sorry I missed your besautiful exhibit but thank you for posting here.
This specimen:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HEM_FRA.jpg
Description: Hematite
Frassem, Arlon, Luxembourg Province, Belgium
10 x 7 cm aprox.

Should it be magnetite or hematite pseudomorph after Magnetite?

Best regards
Peter

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi,

The display case N°7 shows specimens from multi coloured fluorites, marcasite and Schalenblende from Seilles and quartz from Walhain.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

....and now the lower part of the display case N°7:

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

Hi,

The N°8 displays groups of gypsum crystals from Betekom and Niel, sulphides from Seilles and a quartz from Bierghes.

[Ivan Blanco (PDM)]

.....sulphides from Seilles and a quartz from Bierghes.