Below is a synthesis of all the known zeolite occurences in the French Massif Central. Well, “all“ is a big word, and I am sure I missed some, but I am trying to be as exhaustive as possible. Localities have been compiled from Lacroix, Tschernisch, mindat, and my own field collecting. For each zeolite, I first list the confirmed localities where I (or friends) have been collecting. Then I list litterature entries, which will stay there until I ..

When I started this project, I thought it would take up about 4-5 A4 pages, well as I write this it is currently up to 21 pages, (single spaced, Times New Roman, Size 12!).And it will obviously become larger yet, but this is not an issue. I am enjoying putting this together and hope that you will all use it to some degree, whether it is finding a term you were unfamiliar with, or maybe putting forward a suggestion for an addition!I welcome and en..

An Overview to the Fluorescing Minerals of Australia.By Mark Willoughby.Recently I was asked if I could convey some information about fluorescent minerals of Australia to a collector in the U.S.A.What resulted were the following notes;An outline of the most common, as well as an overview of the lesser-known fluorescent minerals of all but Western Australia. I unfortunately I have very little knowledge of the fluorescents from Western Australia.(I..

I have updated this article with a more thorough description of the geological environment, some photos of the quarry, and I have added a description and a few photos of the prehnite found here. The plan is to gradually extend the article to contain all the minerals that I know from this location.The Ravneberget quarry is located in the Bamble sector, one of many orogene belts on the Precambrian Baltic shields. The onshore part of the Bamble sect..

It all started here. This photograph was made in 1904 and shows the original ledge of the Himalaya Mine. The worked out pockets can be seen in the dike. Note the blocks of pegmatite in the foreground. (Courtesy of Ralph Potter.)Many are the reports on San Diego‘s famous pegmatites, but none of them tell about the legends and lore of —The Treasure of the Himalaya MineBy Veryle CarnahanPresident, California FederationMiner removing debris fr..

Public transportation to Miyake arrives in the rain.Accomodations on board.Miyake-jima, an 8 km (5 miles) diameter active volcanic island located in the Pacific Ocean about 200 km south of Tokyo, is considered to betheclassic locality foranorthitefeldspar crystals of almost end-member composition (generally 96 to 97% Ca-plagioclase and only 2 to 4% Na-plagioclase). Millions of these “floater“ crystals, usually 1 to 2cm in size and rarely exceed..

Acetic Acid (Ethanoic Acid, Vinegar, Glacial Acetic Acid)By Barry Flannery (edited by Dr. Stephen Moreton) Acetic acid,CH3COOH, is a simple carboxylic acid. It is a weak organic acid better known as the chemical which gives vinegar its distinctive odour. Its weak acidity makes it a useful chemical for dissolving calcite from sensitive minerals such as galena and fluorite where the much stronger hydrochloric acid may cause dulling and damage to lu..

Gorbin the Binntal in Switzerland is a classical place forAnatase. Not only because the biggest Anatase crystal (5 cm) known was found here, but also for the colour and shape of the Anatases.Gorb, Binntal (22-07-2009)ColourThe colour of the Anatase from Gorb can vary from dark brown, brown, yellow to nearly colorless.A dark brown Anatase (found 19-07-2010). Image width 4 mm.Anatase (found 19-07-2010). Image width 5 mm.An nearly colorless Anatase ..

Linarite Nantycagle mineAt first this article was going to be just about linarite. It very soon became apparent that schmiederite would play a late but important part in the history of linarite from the UK.Many collectors have fine examples of linarite in there collections, from a number of UK and world locations. It is easy to understand why. Who would not like to have in there collection a azure blue bladed radial crystal group of linarite, con..

As of 1975 ore reserves were proven & probable at 1,023,086 tons averaging 2.9 pounds U3O8 per ton, plus inferred 1,600,000 tons averaging 1.85 pounds U3O8 per ton.The geology here is made up of extremely irregular bodies of sheared granite pegmatite, pegmatitic granite, & syenitic pegmatite occupying an area approximately 1800 meters long by 150 meters wide. The pegmatite conformably intrudes metagabbro, amphibolite, amphibole gneiss, biotite gn..