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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 07:57 Post subject: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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The National Bike Summit was the annual event I went to Washington, D.C. for so I could work with others from around the country to help urge alternative transportation while talking to Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen, and staffers and aides.
I met with the League of American Bicyclists and we organized each state and set appointments to visit with our local reps.
After almost a week of doing so, I was done and ready for Museum visits, specifically the Mineral Hall. Jim flew in on Thursday night and we were raring to go on Friday.
I had switched out my bicycling mindset and replaced it with my other passion, minerals.
I will be adding many photos shortly, just need to download them off my laptop and put them on here.
In this visit, we met up with Jessica, she is the ten year old featured in my Tucson report. Her family visited with us on the Saturday as we spent the day talking minerals and enjoying her enthusiasm at each display case.
Now that I have set the stage, enjoy some of the photos I took over the course of Friday and Saturday this past week.
_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 08:58 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Smithsonian Museum visit.
I only took my smaller camera, so sorry for the photo quality. I just didn't want to lug the bigger camera, Jim took his with the macro lense, so will have to pilfer some from his memory card to add later.
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Manganite, Ilfeld, Germany. |
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I have a great interest in Manganite from Ilfeld. |
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Butterfly, Gem room public display. |
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Let's start with the Hope Diamond, always a crowd around this beauty. |
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 09:04 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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And more photos.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 09:10 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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more...
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 09:18 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Jim had never been to the museum, or Washington D.C., before. It was great fun to walk around with him as he saw things for the first time. I had been last year and spent two whole days there. If you have never been, Go!
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 09:20 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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and some more.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 15:47 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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More minerals.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 15:49 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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more.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 15:54 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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nice...
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 15:56 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Candleabra
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 15:58 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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More nice minerals...
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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keldjarn
Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Posts: 157
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 16:51 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Gail, thanks for posting all the photos from the Smitnsonian ! It is nice to be reminded again about all the marvelous specimens they have on display. Even if I recognize some of them from previous visits, there must be many new ones since my last visit 15 years ago...
One of the new specimens in the exhibit has been labeled "Herderite" from Gilgit in Pakistan. Also the accompanying chemical formula indicates the mineral to be F-dominant rather than the much more common Hydroxyl-Herderite. As far as I know there has been no published data to support the occurence of Herderite (F-dominant) from this area and I would have loved to know if this Herderite-group mineral really has been analyzed to prove the correct ID. Maybe if John S. White sees this post he still has contacts at the Smithsonian that could clarify the issue. Especially in such a prominent museum you would expect labels with chemical formulas to give the correct specimen ID.
Knut
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 17:04 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Knut,
I will be sure to forward your comments to the museum staff, that is interesting and I will be pleased to see what they have to say.
I am trying to add some more photos as the day goes on, haven't even gotten to behind the scenes yet, or to Saturday....
I have had guests for lunch and another round is coming in for dinner, Brooks Britt and his family.....so trying to do a few here and a few there as time allows.
I have some really great photos coming, so come back and see this work in progress?
( Ps...I had lunch and a home visit with John White yesterday, a long way from here and what seems an eternity ago! What fun and what a delightful visit! )
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 17:07 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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and....
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 17:10 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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further along...
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Peter
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 346
Location: Sweden / Luxembourg
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 17:10 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Thanks Gail! Its been a long time for me since I visited DC.
This morning I had breakfast with my cildren at home, this evening dinner in another part of this continent by the ocean! Keep them coming! Nadia is getting pretty hooked on minerals!
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Peter
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 346
Location: Sweden / Luxembourg
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 17:13 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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The "Herderite" may be from the Gilgit district, i.e from the area around Shengus but they occur also in the Shigar area further to the west.
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 22:26 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Some interesting minerals.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 22:29 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Others...
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Jessica, our new friend who is ten, joins us for a tour. This was Saturday. I jumped ahead a bit... |
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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Gail
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 5839
Location: Texas, Lone Star State.
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Posted: Mar 16, 2009 22:32 Post subject: Re: The Smithsonian Mineral Visit with Behind the Scenes fun. |
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Back to minerals.
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_________________ Minerals you say? Why yes, I'll take a dozen or so... |
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