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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 18, 2009 13:20 Post subject: Some more that I need some help with. |
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I've spent the last few days slowly working through about a hundred more specimens, and have a few that I just have no idea about.
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Cerrusite? , Really not sure about this one, it has a glassy sheen, hardness is about a 5+ |
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 04:39 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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This one seems to be a Pseudomorph of Limonite after Pyrope,
60mm x 60mm x 80mm, and weighs 546 gm's
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:19 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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And one more,
I Suspect that this is Descloizite, however it was labeled Goethite, it is very heavy for it's size, the growth is over a matrix that is no loinger there, so it is hollow inside, it Measure 30mm x 20mm x 19mm and weighs 16gms, very hard.
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:24 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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It does look like Descloizite & possibly a Tsumeb one too.
I don't think the 1st one is Cerussite but I could be wrong & the 2nd Garnet specimen ??
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:37 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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I spent a good deal of time today trying to identify the first one,and I'm starting to think it could be a selenite ball, the second one is probably a Garnet var Pyrope, it looks like it's been pseudomorphed by limonite, what threw me was the size, it's as big as my fist.
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:48 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Selenite ? don't know about that ? Can you describe the crystal form, as it looks like square shapes, rhombs, as on edge ? which reminds me of Fluorite but some look flattened/squat at the top which reminds me of Smithsonite as a guess ?
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:50 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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It's also helpful to show the back/base sides of specimens. Pictures are getting better too, good work.
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Montanpark
Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 241
Location: Mainz
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:52 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Hi Paul,
Selenite should have a Hardness of 2 .. my first thought was Colemanite. hardness is 4 1/2 so would fit. I have seen similar specimens from California and Turkey .. but only a guess. Third one looks like Desclo to me also. Second could be a garnet as you already presumed ... with some iron oxide coating.
cheers
Roger
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 11:55 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Is this a collection of worldwide minerals or is it mainly focussed on African material ?
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
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Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 12:02 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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#1 is much harder than a 2 so it is definately not selenite then, I think having been cataloguing hundreds of specimens every day for the last few weeks have started to take it's toll.
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 12:05 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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The Majority of the collection is African, However thare are specimens from all over the world in it, Dave had a habit of trading specimens for samples of certain minerals from many different locations, there are for example Pyrite specimens From Africa, Europe, Asia, South Amarica etc.
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 19, 2009 13:00 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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One Last specimen for this thread, I'm truly clueless about this one and I'm not sure that the photos portray enough detail to make it identifiable.
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John S. White
Site Admin
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1295
Location: Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted: Apr 20, 2009 04:25 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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I do wish that we could use the mineral name gypsum, instead of selenite. Selenite is another one of those terms that has been so abused that it has pretty much lost its meaning. Why not use the proper mineral name, although the specimen in the photo does not appear to be gypsum since I believe that Paul said the hardness is about 5.
_________________ John S. White
aka Rondinaire |
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jorge santos garcia
Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 34
Location: Évora
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Posted: Apr 20, 2009 04:26 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Hi Paul
The specimen on photo 57 looks like smithsonite, maybe the type with a yellow core, I think I saw pieces like that labelled as 'cadmiun smithsonite'.
Jorge
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
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Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Apr 20, 2009 04:34 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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It don't looks as Smithsonite to me. I would suggest Calcite from N'Chwanning or some other diposit from Kalahari manganese field. Could you please try if it effervesce with ClH?
Jordi
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
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Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 20, 2009 05:13 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Thank you for the help, Jorge, the crystals do indeed look like they may have a yellow core, but I'm not sure about smithsonite, I'll do the test Jordi suggested to confirm the type.
John, I'll make sure to label any "Selenite" specimens as "Gypsum (var. Selenite)"
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 20, 2009 06:38 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Is the matrix black or grey on the last specimen ? If black then yes Kalahari but if grey possibly Tsumeb.
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 21, 2009 11:29 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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The Matrix is a Greyish color.
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Debbie Woolf
Joined: 09 Feb 2009
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Location: Kent
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Posted: Apr 21, 2009 12:52 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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Specimen-198-Unknown
It kind of reminds me of a Smithsonite specimen I have.
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Paul
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
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Location: Gauteng
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Posted: Apr 21, 2009 14:24 Post subject: Re: Some more that I need some help with. |
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hmm, That looks very similar
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