FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Montanpark]

Hi all,
another question that is unsolved since some time led me to post here again. In 2007 i first acquired some fluorites which were told me to be from a recent find from Morocco. The samples all show yellowish fluorite cubes mostly accompanied by whitish-greyish baryte mostly stained with reddish fine grained haematite. The fluorites show a more or less distinct zonation (greenish-bluish in the cores, yellowish at the rims) and have an overall yellowish to sometimes brownish, rarer greenish appearance.

The first dealer wrote as locale Oumlaab - not more. I asked where this is .. he told me "Erfoud". Another dealer who had the material said "Jorf". Back at home i searched the web and Oumlaab was completely unknown in combination with fluorite. Mindat lists such a fluorite from Jorf El Melha but this is most probably wrong as the geological setting isn´favourable and the region is not known for any mineral finds else.

Searching for Jorf lead me to NE of Erfoud, and not far from Jorf the Oukhit fluorite deposit is known. Paragenesis is very similar but i discussed this with Peter Serka who knows the occurrence and he has never seen material like this from there.

Later at the Munich show 2007 i got another few nice samples, again, the dealer (different one) told me these were from Erfoud region. I asked him to write the name and he wrote Oumlaab again.

Back again home i found some specimens offered at the web with locale given as "Oumlaab, Tinerhir". So it seemed to get closer (but Tinerhir is some few km away from Erfoud ;-) ) but after then i got no clue and no more information.

I wonder if any of you can solve the "mystery".

Attached a picture of a cleaned specimen (now in my collection, 12.5 x 9.5 x 7 cm), the samples i got reached cube diameters of more than 5 cm.

Thanks,
cheers
Roger

[Montanpark]

sry, found some small errors in the post.

1st Jorf is NW of Erfoud, not NE,
2nd .. the name is Peter Seroka
3rd .. if you may want to search for the specimens please also try Oum Laab instead Oumlaab.
Cheers
Roger

[Calita]

I have several fluorites very similar as shown but in theory they come from Aouli, Midelt, Khénifra Province, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco.

I don't know if yours come from Aouli but if it'd be of any help....

Regards

[Montanpark]

The yellow fluorites from Aouli are different (also have some from there) and i asked the dealers if they were from there .. negative.
:-( Thanks anyway!
Regards

[Jan Erik]

Hello Montanpark

What you are pointed at is some of the problems with localities from Morocco. Not only this Fluorite deposit but sevral others too. I think if the localities seems to be profitable it is almost for certain that the people who are digging will hold the place secret until they can see how much they will earn on it. Much earning will keep places secret, less earning the oposite. If it is a mine one can nearly always be sure it is ok. But if it is out in the mountains, desert and so, the excact locality name is not always easy to get.

I also have some of the Fluorite you have shown. And the same locality names have showed up. I have a third locality: Near Rich City, Errachidia Prov. Here it comes really lovely specimens in all colours. Yellow, yellow-green, green, grenn-grey, grey, colourless.

So it is not easy. The Fluorite shown is not from Aouli. Thats for sure.

[Jesse Fisher]

Hello Roger,

At Mineralientage Munchen 2008 I acquired two fluorites from French dealer Pierre Clavel. He gave the location as "Jorf Mine, near Alnif, South Morocco." From your description I think they are from the same deposit as yours. A photo of one (7 cm across) is below. The second (less photogenic) one has hematite-stained Baryte associated with it.

Cheers,
Jesse

[Jordi Fabre]

I did some research concerning this topic (we saw many of these Fluorites in the Spanish shows) but unfortunately I don't find out the right place yet. Some people said to me that Jorf could be a name used for the Moroccan just don't show the real locality, other people said to me that the right locality is Goulmina, and others just recognized that they don't really know it, so I'm sorry but for the moment, at least for me, the locality of these Fluorites is a mystery. Anyway, if Pierre Clavel said Jorf, then we should consider seriously this locality.

Jordi
PS: Welcome here Jesse, we will enjoy your news and findings if you wish to share it with us...

[Montanpark]

Hi Jesse (and Jordi of course),
yes, i am sure that your specimen is from the same occurence as my samples .. the penetration twins are quite common and nice there. So another possibility...
I will try to get more infos at the Ste. Marie show this year - hope the dealers from Morocco who sold the first (and best) specimens to me are there again. Maybe i will take a map of Morocco with me and they can mark it with a cross ;-)
Jordi, appreciate your efforts and interest on the topic ... hope we all will find the solution of the puzzle soon! Anyway those fluos are quite nice.

Cheers
Roger

[str4hler]

I'm not at home, so I don't have my Moroccan maps with me, but I was told a few weeks ago that they are from 30 miles SW of Midelt... I did not look it up until now, but I'll check it later.
Cheers! Frank