FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[nurbo]

I'll start this off with a fine example of Halotrichite From The Golden Queen Mine in Mojave California. Its about 50mm tall.

[nurbo]

Some more,



my collection is somewhat humble compared to some posted here but I thought I'd post a few anyway. I wonder if any other forum users have felt daunted by the superb quality of postings on the "Collections" Forum, some of the things on here have really taken my breath away.

[Carles Millan]

Hi nurbo!

>my collection is somewhat humble compared to some posted here but I thought I'd post a few anyway.

Your photos are welcome. Unfortunately we all can't compare our specimens with the ones from the Folch collection published here as well. Many thanks for posting yours. I encourage you to keep publishing at this forum section.

___________
Carles Millan

[Tracy]

Hi nurbo -

The purpose of sharing photos on FMF is not for "competition" but rather to show people what we, as collector, enjoy. And why. There are beautiful specimens among all of our collections . Echoing Carles' sentiments, I encourage you to keep on sharing photos with us, it is most appreciated and we enjoy having the chance to see them.

- Tracy

[Jordi Fabre]

Great Phenakite Nurbo, a lovely specimen!. BTW the Limonite pseudomorph after Pyrite is not from Navajún but from Carratraca, Málaga.

Thanks to share your specimens with us.

Jordi

[parfaitelumiere]

hello Nurbo,the azurite seems to be a twin?!
Do you have other photos?

[Gail]

Nurbo, I concur with the others, this is about showing your collection...there is no competition here. We all have different tastes and that's what makes this so enjoyable.

[nurbo]

Hello,
Its good to know that everyone is glad to see some of my specimens, here are some more.
parfaitelumiere I will get some more photo's of the strange azurite and post them in the next couple of days.
Thanks for the locality information on the Limonite Jordi, one of the things I love about this forum is that you can get superb information on localities.

[nurbo]

Heres the fishtail Azurite and a couple of others

[parfaitelumiere]

I would be really interstedbythe fishtail azurite!
I try to collect twins...
If you want to trade it,please tell it to me!
I don't know if it's possible to send private message on the forum?!
I have other azurite crystals,and twinned ones if you want!

[nurbo]

That sounds interesting, if you want to email me at davidbruno(dot)uk(at)gmail(dot)com Im sure we can work something out.

[John S. White]

The "phenakite" cluster from Mogok sure looks like topaz to me.

[nurbo]

Hello John,
I have had my suspicions about that, Ive had this for about 3 years, I cant find any growth marks on it anywhere, which is my usual means of identifying Phenakites, it wasnt as expensive as i would have expected it to be either, but, the place I got it in Thailand did have a lot of Phenakite in stock, maybe I'll try the scratch test on this one. Its funny, now you suggest Topaz when I look at it I think your right. Good call, I love this forum :-)

[vic rzonca]

The master at work

[John S. White]

Just bear in mind that the scratch test is not easy to apply, is not very quantitative, and that many minerals have different hardnesses depending upon the direction in which they are scratched. It is very good for telling talc from topaz, but phenakite and topaz have very similar hardnesses and both are quite hard. A little known fact that in one direction quartz is actually harder than topaz, so you can see what you are up against. Hardness tests, in situations like this, are virtually worthless. Far more significant is morphology. Phenakite crystals are rhombohedral so it should be easy to observe three-fold symmetry if these are phenakite. Topaz is orthorhombic and the chisel-shaped crystals are very distinctive. Furthermore, the basal ceavage of topaz should be a prominent feature.

[parfaitelumiere]

it seems that the "phenakit" crystal on the specimen looks like orthorhombic here.

[parfaitelumiere]

bad drawn...

[nurbo]

Ive had another very close look at this cluster with a 10x loupe and hidden away in its depths I did find some striations at 90 degree's to the termination this is Topaz, given the excellent other information given here I now have no doubts.
The following are Phenakites for sure

[John S. White]

Little beauties and phenakes for sure. Note that the transparent ones are wonderfully twinned. Parfaitelumiere, I really like what you did with the topaz, that was brilliant. Perfectly clear!

[nurbo]

This is actually a very timely topic for me and Im especially greatful to Parfaitelumiere for his excellent drawing. I received a truly awe inspiring pair of Phenakites on matrix as a christmas present and there are some other crystals present which i was trying to identify, I'm quite sure that the one in the photograph is a Topaz. The Phenakites are in pristine condition unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Topaz.