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Minerals Featured in 2010
| January 2010 Fluorite, Tongbai
Fluorite Mine, Nanyang Prefecture, Henan Province, China. This will be an outstanding
month--the fluorite forms as botryoidal coatings with very pretty lilac color!
The write-up examines fluorite's unique properties: its ionic bonding that
causes its perfect cleavage, its luminescence, its colors, and much more! A
special section devoted to "The Future of Chinese Mineral Specimens"
discusses the nation's future as a supplier of abundant, excellent mineral
specimens. If you love minerals, you'll find our write-up fascinating! |
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February
2010 Sphalerite, Elmwood Mine, Tennessee. Wow! We found a large enough
lot to feature these lustrous, metallic specimens from an American classic
locality. The write-up delves into sphalerite's unusual properties,
(including a higher refractive index and greater brilliance than diamond),
and has a special section on the many factors that influence specimen
availability and price. Another great month! |
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March
2010 Orthoclase, Water Canyon, Cinco, Kern County, California. Our
specimens all have nice orthoclase crystals twinned according to the
Carlsbad law of twinning. The write-up has a special section that explains
in detail the causes and kinds of twinning in crystals. You'll also find
information on the adularescent form of orthoclase known as moonstone, along
with lots of fascinating information about this important feldspar group
mineral. |
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April
2010 Topaz, Maynard's Claim, Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah. Another outstanding
month! “I pulled out a section of brush and there, stuck to the roots, were
two rather large, perfectly flawless topaz crystals. Thus began the most
exciting mineral collecting adventure of my life.” Our 10-page Topaz
write-up explains why a graduate student made this statement in 1973! In a
special section, it also explains why commercial mineral collecting is such
a risky business. And as always, the write-up discusses in detail topaz'
chemical make-up, crystal form, important collecting sites, gem use.
history, and lore, and much more.
And remember, store your topaz crystal away from sunlight to preserve
its color! |
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May
2010 Staurolite, Kola Peninsula, Russia. While we love all minerals,
some seem to strike a special chord with us, and staurolite is one of those!
Particularly since we first featured it 10 years ago in May 2000, we have
regularly purchased new lots for sale at the Gem & Mineral shows we attend,
etc. The specimens we'll be sending have the X-shaped twins on matrix, and
Gold-level members will be receiving a specimen slightly smaller than what
we typically send them. We do have some staurolite showing the cross-shaped
twinning we plan on offering to Platinum members for May. Let us know if
you're interested in upgrading to one of these by April 30, and we'll send
you a copy of the Email we send to Platinum members each month. The Email
contains sizes and prices and a couple of photos, and you can check it out
and let us know if you'd like to upgrade or order a second staurolite. |
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June
2010 Pyrite Concretions, Hengyang Baifang Coal mines, Hengyang County,
Hengyang Prefecture, Hunan County, China. Pyrite is one of those amazing
minerals that continues to come out of the ground in unusual forms and
shapes! Our specimens are from a new find in China, where the pyrite
crystallized in unusual spherical and ovoidal concretions, some of which
look like acorns, muffin tops, turtle shells, brains, and snowmen! The
accompanying write-up explains in depth how pyrite crystallizes in such odd
shapes in the section on "About Our Specimens" and the special section "The
Many Forms of Pyrite." You'll find the concretion and the write-up quite
fascinating! |
| July 2010. Pseudomorphs of quartz after
aragonite from Argentina, another unusual find! The outside crystal form
is that of aragonite, but the original mineral has been completely replaced
by the Jasper variety of chalcedonic quartz! The corresponding write-up
explains exactly how and why this type of replacement occurs in nature in a
special section entitled "The Phenomenon of Mineral Pseudomorphism." You'll
find both the mineral and the write-up quite fascinating! And Platinum-level
member have the opportunity to obtain a piece that has been cut in half and
polished to show off the inner beauty of the jasper and the drusy quartz
lined pockets! Follow this link for details:
Click here for details on Platinum
Membership |
Quartz variety Jasper Pseudomorph after Aragonite, Valle de las Plumas,
Paso de Indio, Chubut Province, Argentina |
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August 2010 Vesuvianite, Jeffrey Mine, Quebec, Canada. Though the
specimens were much smaller than usual this month, they have exceptionally
lovely color and excellent crystal forms! We first featured vesuvianite from
this classic locality in March 2000, and are thrilled to have gotten another
large lot of beautiful pieces! Our write-up explains the unusual metamorphic
origin of vesuvianite and its use as a gemstone, along with the facts and
fiction surrounding asbestos and the rich history of what was once the
world’s largest asbestos mine--the Jeffrey Mine in Canada! |
Vesuvianite, Jeffrey Mine, Quebec, Canada |
 
Hematite
after Magnetite, Payún Volcano, Altiplano de Payún Matru, Mendoza,
Argentina. These photos show two of the habits we sent Club
members! |
September
2010 Hematite after Magnetite Another amazing pseudomorph from Argentina, and one
that has generated tremendous interest in the mineral community! Our
pseudomorphic specimens were collected at an extinct Argentinean volcano.
Our write-up explains their unusual fumarolic origin, the chemical oxidation
of magnetite into hematite, and some of the basics behind the phenomenon of
volcanism. |
October 2010 Obsidian is classified as a
mineraloid rather than as a mineral, and our Obsidian write-up explains
why. Our write-up also explains obsidian’s unusual volcanic origin; why its
flaked edges are sharper than even those of surgical scalpels; and the
legend behind the name “Apache tears.” Gold- and Platinum-level members
received a black obsidian nodule ("Apache Tear") in a large gray matrix of perlite,
as seen in the photo, while Silver-level members received just the
black nodule sans matrix. Silver-level members who would like a matrix piece
can upgrade to a Gold-level specimen for an additional $18.50.
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 The
variety of Obsidian known as "Apache Tears," from the Superior
District, Pinal County, Arizona |
Hübnerite, Mundo Nuevo Mine, Huamachuco, Sanchez Carrion
Province, La Libertad Department, Peru |
November
2010 Hübnerite, Mundo Nuevo Mine, Huamachuco, Sanchez Carrion
Province, La Libertad Department, Peru. This special month marked two firsts: our first
mineral containing tungsten and our first mineral spelled with an umlaut!
The write-up has a special section on the former and a couple of sentences on
the latter. And the hübnerite specimens are quite outstanding, too! This
manganese tungstate is from the classic Pasto Bueno locality high in the
Peruvian Andes. Our write-up explains the mineralogy of the uncommon mineral
hübnerite, the history of the Pasto Bueno tungsten-mining district, and the
many uses of the remarkable metallic element tungsten. |
December 2010 Boulder Opal from
Australia. “There is in them a softer fire than in the carbunkle, there is
the brilliant purple of the amethyst; there is the sea-green of the
emerald-–all shining together in incredible union. Some by their refulgent
splendor rival
the colors of the painters, others the flame of burning sulphur or of fire
quickened by oil.”–Pliny the Elder, circa 79 AD. Our write-up explains the
unusual geologic origin of precious opal, the cause of its colorful
opalescence, its gemological history, and the importance of opal in the
culture and economy of Australia. |
Boulder Opal, Woodstock Downs Station, Middleton, Queensland, Australia |
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Would you like to order all twelve minerals we featured in 2010, as seen in
the above photos, along with their detailed write-ups?
1 Year Gold-Level membership starting with January 2010 for $291.50 (12 months
for the price of 11)
1 Year Silver-Level membership starting with January 2010 for $88 (12 months
for the price of 11)
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Click here for more information or to join our Club:
Join the Club |
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