[Rockhounds] Winter Blah's Pop Quiz - What Was The Last Specimen Added To Your Collection?

[Nathan Martin]

Kreigh, et al

Since we just had our club's annual mineral auction I have recently added a
number of specimens to my collection.  Three are very special:

A) a small cabinet combination specimen of purple fluorite and sphalerite
with small accent calcites from Elmwood, TN.  The 1" fluorite cubes have
complex growth surfaces and great color and are nestled between two complex
sphalerite clusters in the 1" to 1.5" range.  One of the sphalerite crystals
is even twinned.  I was absolutely delighted to bring that one home.

B) a large miniature specimen with several sharp, lustrous uvite crystals
from Powers Farm in Pierrepont, NY.  The largest crystal is only about 3/4"
but it is a great specimen that gives me added incentive to try to arrange a
club fieldtrip there one day.

C) another small cabinet/large miniature specimen but this one is
translucent barite blades on dolomite from the Miraflores quarry, Liata,
Hualianca district, Huanco Dept., Peru - the added bonus to this specimen is
the zoned white fluorescence of the barite blades.  It is brightest under SW
UV illumination and exhibits a good 10 seconds of phosphorescence after the
light is shut off.
Our auction is always a great chance to pick up some terrific specimens,
typically at close to or below their wholsale value.  This year was no
exception.

OK that's my contribution.  I'm now interested in what thet rest of you have
recently added.

best regards,
Nate Martin
Lexington, MA

On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 10:29 PM, Kreigh Tomaszewski
<Kreigh at tomaszewski.net>wrote:

> I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of Winter and the blah's of
> not being able to collect. I'm cataloging a backlog of specimens and the
> blah's still get to me from time to time. I need some cheering up and want
> to hear about what people have collected.
>
> The Winter Blah's Pop Quiz should cheer us all up and provide an
> interesting snapshot to what is out there to be found this coming Summer.
> There is only one question; only those who answer it pass the quiz (extra
> credit for more details).
>
>        What Was The Last Specimen Added To Your Collection?
>
> --
>
> I figure it is only fair I answer my own question to start...
>
> My newest specimen is a thumbnail of Clinoptilolite-Ca, that is really a
> micromount, from Rock Island Dam, Wenatchee, Wa, that I acquired from Jim
> Daly at Sauktown Sales.
>
>        Unsolicited plug from a satisfied customer - Jim has some great
>        specimens if you are interested in micromounts or rare minerals.
>
> It is a tectosilicate (zeolite) that forms in small bubbles in basalt,
> monoclinic, clear to white. I had to go to 15X before I could confirm the
> crystals, but there were a lot of them, and they were really sharp. They
> look even better at 30X.
>
> The specimen was a new species to my systematic collection. It made me
> happy.
>
> --
>
> I really hope some of you respond.
>
> Kreigh
>
>
> --
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