 Cheryl & Richard Sittinger |
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| January 2004 We began the year with attractive specimens of aragonite from a new, one-time find in Nevada. The write-up discussed the difference between calcite [CaCO3] and aragonite [CaCO3], and some of the organic forms aragonite takes, such as seashells, pearls, and sea-turtle eggs. Specimens still available. |
Aragonite, Northern Lights Mine, Mineral County, Nevada |
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Cinnabar, Tongren Mine, Tongen, Guizhou, China |
February 2004 We had been wanting for years to feature our first mineral containing mercury, but could never find enough high quality pieces-- until now! The write-up explained mercury's and cinnabar's unique physical properties and explained the importance of cinnabar [HgS] to the Chinese. A few specimens are still available. |
| March 2004 was another special month. We celebrated the 8th anniversary of our Club with the new find from South Africa, "Cactus" quartz [SiO2]! Our pieces were of amethyst, and the write-up explained what causes the wonderful color and gave details of when and how the find was made. |
Amethyst "Cactus Quartz" from Boekenhout, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
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Kamacite (Fe,Ni) in its common form, as a meteorite, from the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, far-eastern Siberia, Russia |
April 2004 Our 98th month was unique, as this is the first time we've featured meteorites! Specimens were much smaller than what we normally send. The write-up starts out with this quote from O. Richard Norton in Rocks From Space, describing the fall: "a flaming fireball as large as the Sun appeared in a cloudless sky. The [Sikhote-Alin] fireball was so bright that it cast moving shadows in broad daylight." The write-up discusses the different kinds of meteorites and give details on this tremendous fall. |
MAY 2004 This was a wonderful month as we featured crystals of native sulfur (S) from the new find in Bolivia. The write-up discussed the importance of this chemical element, an essential part of countless minerals, everyday compounds such as rubber, and our own life and health. |
Sulfur, El Desierto Mine, San Pablo de Napa, Daniel Campos Province, Potosi, Bolivia |
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Rhodochrosite, Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon, Lima Department, Peru |
JUNE 2004 This was our 100th month, so we featured something special: crystals of rhodochrosite from Peru! Because of the rarity and value of crystals from this locality, Gold-Level-size specimens were a little smaller than usual, with the matrix being between 1" by 1" and 2" by 2", but always with good crystals and good color. |
| JULY 2004 We made arrangements in Tucson 2003 with a Canadian miner to bring large pieces of black biotite to Tucson in 2004 for us to feature. He did, but we neglected to tell him how much our membership had grown in the meantime, and how we would need about 150 more pieces! He sent them, and they arrived in good shape, so we featured this interesting and important mica group mineral in July. Specimens were larger than what we typically send. |
Biotite, Silver Crater Mine, Faraday Township, Bancroft District, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada |
Dravite, from a hidden locality in Nepal |
AUGUST 2004 A few years ago, we bought some translucent brown dravite crystals from Nepal. We paid $20 and up wholesale for them. Imagine our surprise when we recently found a large enough lot to be able to feature this tourmaline group mineral in August! Specimens were smaller than what we usually send, but each has good color, especially when held to the light. |
| SEPTEMBER
2004 We were able to obtain enough nice pieces of quartz crystals exhibiting Japan-law twins to be
able to feature these unique specimens in September. The photo below shows close-up of twin to right.
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 Japan-Law Twinned Quartz, Tentadora Mine, Pampa Blanca, Castrovirrena Province, Huancavelica, Peru |
| October 2004
We sent wonderful, attractive specimens of kyanite [Al2SiO5] in October, beautiful blue blades frozen in matrix with lots of
sparkling black biotite and rosy-red garnets to add to the contrast. From a rare locality in Karelia, northwestern Russia, near the Kola Peninsula, where our May 2000
featured mineral staurolite and our July 2001 astrophyllite came from.
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Kyanite, Khit Island, Karelia Republic, Northern Region, Russia |
| NOVEMBER 2004 This was an outstanding month! We picked up enough pieces from the new find of vivianite [Fe2+3(PO4)28H2O] from Bolivia to feature it! You're in for a real treat if you haven't yet seen the blue-green color of these crystals! Because it is a colorful, new find, it is valuable, and Gold-Level-size pieces were smaller than usual. |
Vivianite, Tomokoni mine, Machacamarca (Colvali) district, Saavedra province, Potosi Department, Bolivia |
 Azurite, Blue Jay Mine, Lemhi County, Idaho |
DECEMBER 2004 We finished the year with another beautiful mineral, azurite [Cu2+3(CO3)2(OH)2], from a remote mine in the Lemhi Range of southeastern Idaho. The splendor and intensity of the azure blue color can have an emotional effect on a person! (The camera has a hard time capturing the true color.) |
| We still have some of these wonderful minerals available. Call us at 1-800-941-5594 or E-mail us at mailto:Richard@Mineralofthemonthclub.org if you're interested in receiving one or more as part of your membership! | |
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