[Rockhounds] Darwin, CA Pyrite

[Carolyn Reynard]

Hi John,  I don't believe I have any feldspars with those associations. Yes,
you must dig out your hardness points and HCL to narrow down the
identification. Look for cleavage flash and check the weight. Calcite or
Barite might be the white mineral.  Feldspar is a Silicate,
Pyrite and Galena are sulfides, Barite is a sulfate and Calcite a carbonate.
Your specimen is possibly from a hydrothermal
replacement deposit.

I hope this helps!

Carolyn Reynard



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Siebel" <john at pandemoniumgraphics.com>
To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors"
<rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 3:15 AM
Subject: [Rockhounds] Darwin, CA Pyrite


> Hi List,
>
> In the course of getting my collection organized (thousands of unlabeled
> specimens...I know, shame on me, but better late...)  I came across a
> fist-sized chunk of pyrite crystals with what I'm guessing might be
feldspar
> (lusterous opaque white to slightly pinkish). But I'm also seeing large
> areas of bright silver that's more massive rather than having defined
> crystals. I'm guessing galena. Does pyrite, feldspar, galena sound like a
> likely combination? I got it in trade a while back and the label reads
> simply, "Pyrite, Darwin, CA". Anyone amiliar with the area? I'ts too late
in
> the evening to dig out the hardness points and HCL to do any tests. And I
> can't photograph it because I can't find my camera batteries. But that
could
> happen tomorrow.
>
> Thanks - John
>
>
> -- 
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html