Post subject: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:35 pm
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Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
I got 3 samples of kyanite from Minas Gerais, all quite large. You can see this one is the same width as Alan Hodgkinson's book, Gem Testing Techniques:
Kyanite in Quartz from Barra de Salinas, Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Lovely bladed, semi-transparent xls.
Some quartz xls, similar in appearance to Herkimer as the xls are doubly-terminated. BUT, they are enhydro quartz crystals with three phase inclusions including petroleum, water, air, and anthraxolite. The petroleum is the yellow liquid that glows blue in black light. The anthraxolite is the black solid material floating in the petroleum or water. Kewl.
One single xl.
With LWUV:
And then on another thread I mentioned finding a Septarian nolule with brown drusy xls on the interior having a velvet like appearance.
From the outside of the Septarian, nothing unusual:
but I think the interior has a truly unusual, almost haunting appearance. Locality; Ambondromamy, Mahajanga, Madagascar: Face-up:
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:39 pm
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
Beautiful specimens.
You said "Some quartz xls, similar in appearance to Herkimer as the xls are doubly-terminated. BUT, they are enhydro quartz crystals with three phase inclusions including petroleum, water, air, and anthraxolite."
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 4:52 pm
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Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm Posts: 1033
AlBalmer wrote:
Beautiful specimens.
You said "Some quartz xls, similar in appearance to Herkimer as the xls are doubly-terminated. BUT, they are enhydro quartz crystals with three phase inclusions including petroleum, water, air, and anthraxolite."
Herkimers are also found with these inclusions.
How sure are you of this? I have collected Herimers since I was very very young, and never heard of a fluorescing Herk until *after* the Pakistani finds. And of my fairly large collection not fluoresced other than some new ones I had bought.
I actually suspect that people have been selling the Pakistani crystals as Herks (I am pretty sure they have, actually, just as they sell radiated spodumene as hiddenite).
Herks have always had black inclusions, of course.
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 5:45 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
I've personally collected Herks with included water, petroleum, and a black substance that the mine owner and fellow rockhounds called anthraxolite. I never tested any with UV.
I must say, though, the Pakistani dt crystals have been the only ones I've seen which totally match the Herkimer material in quality. Every now and then some of the Chinese ones would get close, but they're just not the same.
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 10:15 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm Posts: 1033
AlBalmer wrote:
I've personally collected Herks with included water, petroleum, and a black substance that the mine owner and fellow rockhounds called anthraxolite. I never tested any with UV.
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 10:51 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
If you ever get an opportunity to visit this part of NY, the mines are great fun. Easy access, and your choice of beating away with hammer and chisel, or picking specimens up off the ground. Just know that if you take your kids, they'll find more than you do
Post subject: Re: Colorado Gem Show Additions to My Collection
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:09 pm
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Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:40 pm Posts: 2667 Location: South Dakota
Ohh...Miss B...nice to see your still adding to your mineral collection. Let's see.... first.... you got that Kyanite from Brazil and it looks awesome. I had the opportunity to handle a decent amount of Brazilian(and some killer NC stuff too) kyanite here recently and much of what I saw wasn't nearly as gemmy and transparent as yours. Sure..lots of glassy areas, but few pieces I saw had the ability to transmit light the entire length of the crystal...like your specimen(far left crystal). Very nice!
The vesuvianite is from a classic locale and a nice color. The blue barites....I also had the chance to handle a few of those last May and they are superb! Not your typical, cheap specimens either...as one usually expects with Barites and barite specimens. The ones I handled were around $300-$500 and looked similar to yours except they had more barite crystals in a circular pattern..almost acicular looking. Great picks on the specimens, Miss B. Thanks for posting
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