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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 24, 2009 18:35 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 |
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Barcelona 1/24/2008
Tucson Show is here! On Monday I will fly to Tucson and on Friday I will be available in room 164 of the InnSuites.
As far as I know, thiere isn't big news for the moment, maybe some good stuff from Ojuela, but I heard just rumors, so I can't be sure about it. Of course, I will inform you here if I obtain more details (or specimens).
Something new has come out from France: in Brézies, close the old lead mine of La Vidale, Asprières, Aveyron, people dug a number of fine Pyromorphites, pretty unusual, with a Campylite habit (although they are not Mimetite, we analyzed them). You can see their quality in the photos.
Tomorrow I will publish some photos of the place where the specimens were dug and the process of extraction.
More to come...
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Pyromorphite with Campylite facies on Quartz, from Brézies, close the old lead mine of La Vidale, Asprières, Aveyron, France. Mined in 1998 |
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Detail of the Pyromorphite. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 25, 2009 15:28 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (1) |
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Barcelona 01/25/2009
As promised, I publish some images of the area where the Pyromorphite from La Vidale were dug.
More to come...
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 28, 2009 00:13 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (2) |
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Tucson 01/27/2009
We already are in Tucson and although there is a little activity at the moment, the feeling is that with crisis or without, Tucson is always a crazy show. Today I had to go to a private home to see an extraordinary collection that will be offered for sale at the Main Show (all specimens large or very large) and, as shown in the picture, on top of these boxes, each one containing exceptional treasures with a very high value, sat a cat so content that he seems to say: I am here and I won't move...
This is Tucson: millions hidden in boxes, on top of which common cats relax, luxury and day to day life, all together and completely mixed.
There is some mineralogical news, as soon as I organize my things (probably in Friday) I'll comment on them.
More to come...
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Tucson madness. Here, even when the cats take a break, they do it near the minerals. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 29, 2009 01:15 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (3) |
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Tucson 01/28/2009
The situation here in Tucson today, is: the atmosphere is similar, or equal to that of other years (crisis, what crisis?). There are people actively buying in the rooms already open, prices are similar to those of previous years, and for now no one makes great discounts, with the exception of the Chinese dealers, who for some reason seem to be more flexible in their prices than in previous years.
Few rooms are open at the InnSuites, many rooms are open at the Quality Inn-Benson Hwy, and some rooms are open at the Executive Inn. The other smaller shows are in full activity, with most of their rooms open.
I get few new finds, as soon as I can I will detail them.
More to come....
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Alfredo Petrov, with whom I met while breakfast this morning, and with whom I had an interesting conversation about the future and the present of the mineralogy in Bolivia, as well as the worldwide mineralogy too. |
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This was the famous restaurant "Coconuts", which was located next to the Executive Inn. Closed, reopened as an Afghan restaurant, and now he shows a poster announcing the forthcoming demolition to built a preschooler school. Nothing is solid in Tucson, something that seems really stable suddenly disappears, same for small restaurants than for large hotels like the Desert Inn, now demolished. Sic transit gloria mundi. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 30, 2009 00:09 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (4) |
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Tucson 29/1/2009
Today I visited the InnSuites, and in the room of Collector's Edge I was impressed by few very fine new Topazes, with a color between caramel and smoke, which come from a new pegmatite in El Chaltén, Santa Cruz, Argentina. I had heard about this pegmatite but I didn't know that it could produce such high quality. Tomorrow I will try to photograph them, and publish the photo(s) here.
As I am referring to Argentina, I have some photos of the place where the famous Argentinian Martites (Hematite pseudo Magnetite) are mined in the Payún Matrú volcano.
I think that these will be the first pictures published about how and where these fascinating Martites appear.
More to come...
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This is how the Martite apear, embedded in the volcanic rock. |
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Martite starting to come out. |
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Martite recently extracted. |
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One Martite as it arrive to the collector. Specimen size: 11.7 × 8.9 × 6.1 cm Main crystal size: 6 × 3.9 cm |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Jan 31, 2009 01:03 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (5) |
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Tucson, 30/1/2009
These are the Argentinian Topazes
More to come...
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The Topazes displayed in the Collector's Edge both. |
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Large and very gemmy new Argentinean Topaz from El Chaltén pegmatite, Santa Cruz, Argentina. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 01, 2009 09:09 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (6) |
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Tucson 02/01/2009
Ok, having a little bit more time I will start to publish the novelties that I have seen in the Show.
First are a number of Calcites from El Hamman, Meknes, Morocco. The crystal form is different from previous ones, as you can see in the photo, and their quality is quite good.
More to come...
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One of the new Calcites from el Hamman. As usual there is also some Pyrite, but not Fluorite on this case. Them were mined in November 2008. Specimen size: 8 x 6 x 4.5 cm Main crystal size: 5.2 x 2.1 cm |
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Sunrise in Tucson. The InnSuites palm trees seems to be happy with it... |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 02, 2009 14:58 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (7) |
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Tucson 02/02/2009
Yesterday was a very busy day here but today is quiet, so I have some time to publish another of the novelties that I found. In some place in Yunnan province (I'm sorry I know that Yunnan is enormous, but is all that I can say) appear new Vesuvianites with some Calcite and another mineral, that in my opinion could be Diopside. The Vesuvianite crystals look very similar to the Wiluites from Russia but they form groups like the specimen shown below. Quite an interesting find, we will see what happens in the future if this locality will supply still more specimens, and also if they will disclose the precise location.
More to come...
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Large specimen of Vesuvianite with related Calcite and Diopside? from Yunnan, China. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 03, 2009 14:44 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (8) |
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Tucson 02/03/2009
Tucson is a giant social club where people meet people, and where talks between friends are one of the main rewards to the people who assist in the show.
In front of my room every day I see many members of the "crème" of mineralogy, chatting or just saying hi!, and this is also a powerful reward for me.
More to come...
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The famous collector from San Francisco Jack Halpern taking a look in my show case. |
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A second shot of Jack in front of the beloved minerals. |
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Charlie Key and Dick Thomssen in my room. Charlie is a legend in the mineral world, his adventures in Africa collecting minerals are part of the history of mineralogy. |
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Herb Obodda, Ken Roberts, Rosemary Roberts, Dave Wilber, and another person in front of the window of my room in the courtyard of the Innsuites. |
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John S. White
Site Admin
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1295
Location: Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted: Feb 04, 2009 18:08 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (9) |
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Tucson 02/04/2009
Last evening Jordi and I were invited to the home of Tucson collector Peter Megaw, who is familiar to Forum visitors for his insightful comments. He is also well-known for his fine work in managing the set-up of the special exhibits at the Tucson Show. Our visit, of course, was for the purpose of seeing his mineral collection, something that we have long wanted to do. We were not disappointed. Peter specializes in the minerals of Mexico and he may well have the best representation of the various species found there. The minerals are grouped in different cases by state and mining districts. Many show unusual associations, features such as bizarre replacements, and an amazing array of crystal habits.
A special bonus to those of us who are encouraged to see young people take up the hobby was the case of Peter´s daughter, Lauren (see photo). Lauren started collecting at the age of 7 and has won a first place in every competition she has entered every since, including Juniors, Junior Masters, Novice, Adults, Advance Adults and Masters Adults. What is left? Peter told us that she selected the specimens all by herself, very impressive!
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Peter showing me an oversized cuprian adamite |
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Jordi studying the Megaw minerals |
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Lauren´s show case with one of her many blue ribbons. |
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_________________ John S. White
aka Rondinaire |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 05, 2009 17:39 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (10) |
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Tucson 02/05/2008
Another novelty I found at this 2009 Tucson is from a new find in Morocco. The exact locality is still a little unclear, but it is probably not far from Tafraout, Azilal, Beni Mellal.
As you can see in the picture this Azurite has an unusual crystallographic habit, bladed crystals, and its intense blue color is very saturated. These concentrations occur in Quartz (which is sometimes crystallized) with Malachite, and an unidentified brown mineral that often coats the crystals. I must wait until I return to Barcelona to have it identified. These were found recently in October 2008, and in my opinion are very interesting (and pretty). We'll see if they are lucky and continue to find more.
More to come...
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Azurite from Tafraout area, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Morocco. Specimen size: 10 x 9 x 3 cm Crystals size around 0.6 x 0.2 cm |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 06, 2009 08:02 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (11) |
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Tucson 02/06/2009
Today the Westward Look started although some dealers already opened earlier, in Thursday or before. It is a race and it seems never stop....
As Gail is there doing wonderful photos, so the best will be to follow what happens in the Westward Look visiting her thread: "Tucson Gail Spann Show report"
More to come...
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Bill Pinch who owns one of the best, if not the best, worldwide collection of rare species, having a peaceful chat with John White in my room. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 07, 2009 08:40 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (12) |
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Tucson 07/02/2009
Here’s Tom Gressman, the new Associate Publisher of the Mineralogical Record , at the 2009 Tucson Show with a Power Point demonstration of what this publication offers to mineral collectors. This bimonthly magazine delivers authoritative articles on great mineral localities past and present, essays on the history of mineralogy and mineral collecting, thorough reports on “what’s new in minerals” at major worldwide shows, biographical articles, columns, book reviews, letters, etc.—all accompanied by very generous numbers of color photos of mineral specimens. If you visit his website: https://www.MineralogicalRecord.com you can subscribe directly online.
In this version on line I strongly recomend the articles of Tom Moore: "Whats new in the mineral world" ( https://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/whatsnew.asp ) as well as the "Biographies" ( https://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/labelarchive.asp ) a work of Wendell Wilson. Both are really useful.
The mineralogical magazines need all support that we can give to them, they are a very important part of the structure of the mineral world. We have discussed this in the past : https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=308
More to come...
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Tom Gressman in the Mineralogical Record's booth at the Ballroom of the InnSuites. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 09, 2009 01:15 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (13) |
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Tucson 02/08/2009
It is often forgotten that Tucson is located in a desert, the Sonora Desert, and thus sometimes unpleasant surprises happen. Until today we were here in a kind of climate paradise, but last night it rained. It created a sense of well being after so many dry days and this morning as the sun appeared, everything looked wonderful, but suddenly the temperature plummeted and it started to rain again. Now it is very cold, the nearby mountains are covered with snow, and maybe it will snow in the city. So in a few hours we went from a tropical climate to freezing. Quite hard.
Furthermore, and as could be expected, there are now coming a lot of visitors, so I think that the show finally will be more or less as past years, with the important difference that people decided (wisely) to come late and stay here only the last days of the show, and in just one week visit the Hotels and the Main Show, with a substantial savings of time and money.
More to come...
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This morning with the sun shiny, the wet grass, the oranges, and the comfortable temperature, everything seemed really beautiful. Shortly thereafter things changed and the snow came. Like the life itself... |
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Here is Bernardo, he has 14 years, and is the son of one of the partners of the company From Uruguay, which published in the Forum the great post "Join us to dig a giant amethyst geode". As in his country there are school vacations, he comes to Tucson along with their parents and as shown in the photo, he is very happy. Tucson for him and many others is still something really exciting. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 09, 2009 20:44 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (14) |
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Tucson 02/09/2009
Rocks & Minerals is the other major U.S. magazine for mineral collectors, and it is a very fine product indeed. It is rich with full color articles about minerals, collectors, localities and it also carries a lot of information about clubs, museums, personalities and shows. The editor, Marie Huizing, shown in the photo, is the force that makes this magazine so very special. She can always be found at the R&M table and she makes it a point to talk to as many subscribers as possible, more than ably assisted by her equally congenial husband Terry.
More to come...
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Marie Huizing of Rocks & Minerals magazine in the Ballroom of the InnSuites where she is selling back issues, new and renewal subscriptions as well as accepting specimen donations for a silent auction to benefit the magazine. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 10, 2009 14:33 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (15) |
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Tucson 02/10/2009
One more novelty. The Milpillas mine in Cananea, Mexico, is still active and this past year they found there a few awesome associations of Plancheite with Malachite after Azurite. The specimens are fine and the contrast between the Malachite and the Plancheite is really spectacular.
More to come...
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Plancheite with Malachite after Azurite mined in 2008 at the Milpillas Mine, Cananea, Mexico. Specimen size: 7 x 5 x 2.5 cm Main crystal size: 2.5 x 0.5 cm |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 11, 2009 23:56 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (16) |
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Tucson 02/11/2009
Today the set up of the Main Show started. I went there taking a look, and honestly I'm so tired that all that I can do today is publish some photos with short descriptive texts.
More to come...
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Dense traffic during the download. |
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The well known Tucson dealer Gene Schlepp front his booth, trying to arrange the front table. |
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Something new in the Main Show. Quite nice color of these new Beryl Aquamarine from Kanchanjung, Nepal. |
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The FMF forum member Claus Hedegaard from Denmark doing photos of some of our specimens for the german magazine Mineralien Welt. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 12, 2009 18:27 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (17) |
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Tucson 02/12/2009
Well, I did a visit to the Main Show this morning early, at 8:00 AM and I had time to do a more or less complete visit to their show cases, what is one of the most, if not the most, main interest for the people whom visit this Show. I noted my favourites and Parés is now photographing it, hopefully the photos be nice and tomorrow I can publish all of them.
As appetizer, let me tell you that I'm very impressed by two (in fact three) show cases: the couple of show cases of the team Scott Rudolph & Keith Proctor, both awesome and, of course, the outstanding show case of Gail & Jim Spann. I would like also point out about the fact that these show cases have a lot of mineralogy, not only showy & colorful specimens, but also rare species and rarities which, in my oppinion, make much more interesting the hobbie. My other favourites are the MAD (MAD (Mineral Association of Dallas), a show case plenty of beauties and the show case of an "unkown" collector displaying great Fluorites from Erongo. Huge cubes with octahedral faces and deeply bicolored phantoms inside.
More to come...
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Here is one of the most friendly contributors to the forum, Les Presmyk from Gilbert, Arizona, and his wife Paula. His booth at the Main Show have a lot of great specimens from Arizona, his main speciality. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 13, 2009 20:07 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (18) |
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Tucson 02/13/2009
Here them are my Tucson 2009 Main Show favorites. Is still some other that Parés is photographing now, but on the meantime, I'm really fascinated with these ones.
Thanks to Jordi Deusedes (Parés) who did an excellent job photographing the specimens and preparing the photos.
More to come...
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Smithsonian is Smithsonian and every year they delight us with some marvelous specimen. This year they hit the target with this so colorful Smithsonite. |
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Gail and Jim Spann are a force, doing all kind of things in the mineral world, and doing it well. Their specimens are great and their sense of humor too. About their great specimens looks this enormous, colorful, superb octahedral Fluorite from Pakistan, about their sense of humor see below. |
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A funny thing isn't?. The Calcite looks equal than a cheese and the Copper as a crab. |
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Evan Jones displayed this elegant Amethyst from Fat Jack Mine, Arizona. Lovely small little thing. |
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Magic efect of these Erongo Fluorites with the light on their rear and their wonderful phantoms. From an "unkown" collector. |
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In the case of the MAD group were a lot of amazing specimens, I selected two, this hiper-gemmy twinned Fluorite from Naica, Mexico and the Mimetite below. |
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Size and color, both in this Mimetite from Eloura, Australia. |
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Scott Rudolph and Keith Proctor are doing an excellent job, and this year they ofered an unbelievable suite of superb specimens. The suite starts here, with this delicate, fascinating, twinned Magnesite crystal from Brumado, Brazil. |
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"The" Leadhillite. From Tsumeb, of course. |
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Color! color!. And the size... |
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Fantastic Scorodite, a world class specimen from El Cobre Mine, Concepción del Oro, Mexico. |
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Not in the showy specimens league, but this Gratonite is just great!. |
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Let me finish with something not so great than others, but really cute, this unusual Corundum. Not only superb specimens can catch our eyes... A plus is that the specimen is from Lauren Megaw, she got it in Ste. Marie-aux-Mines Show 2008, what is notable considering that she has only 14 years. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4900
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Feb 15, 2009 15:56 Post subject: Tucson Show 2009 - (19) |
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Barcelona 02/15/2009
Already returned to Barcelona. Tomorrow I will publish the remaining photos of my favorite specimens, and later my final revision of this Tucson 2009, together with the last news about the Tucson 2009 novelties, including the most important one, the fabulous new Cuprites in Copper-Silver matrix from the new Russian mine Rubtsovskiy.
More to come...
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Every year and during a month, that's Tucson: Minerals and Cactus. |
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