Calcite I
Despite its wide distribution in limestone and as a common gangue mineral in ore deposits, the rainbow of colors and beautiful crystal forms of calcite, from locations around the world, […]
Native Silver – Part I
This is the first of two Blogs on native silver. In the first I will introduce the mineral, including a gallery of specimens, and in the following blog, “Ancient Silver […]
Glorious Garnets
In this blog, the subject is the Garnet Family and their six members, (See Figure 1), which are gemstones and mineral specimens highly prized by collectors, as well as by […]
A Feast for Your Eyes – A Gallery of Garnet Family Specimens
In the presentation of photos of specimens of various garnets the source of the photo is referenced. For more or supporting images, Google the name of the mineral and the […]
All About Copper
In this blog post I’ll talk about the ore minerals of copper in Porphyry Copper deposits; major sources of copper; Porphyry Copper Deposits in Arizona; the formation and geology of […]
Opals – As Gemstones & it’s Biological Role in Grasses
Today I want to talk about opal as a gemstone and it’s, not expected, biological role in grasses and algae. Opal as a Gemstone Gem-quality opals are characterized as Precious […]
Pyrite
This is a brief introduction to the mineral Pyrite, or when we were young, known as Fools Gold. I’m also going to tell you about one mineral species which forms […]
Copper Mining in Bisbee
Thanksgiving Day 2017, my son Greg and I traveled to the old copper mining town of Bisbee for a two day exploration of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, observing […]
On Wulfenite
Today my main topic is the mineral Wulfenite which has a strong association with Arizona. Lead mines, in which Wulfenite has been found, are numerous, with some of them offering […]
Who Is That Masked Mineral Man?
I’ve been an avid collector of mineral specimens from around the world since my experience, at the age of 13, of finding a beautiful black tourmaline crystal while on a […]