Outside well known collecting areas, the tiny Ústup village offers a little secret collecting spot with huge almandine garnets. And what is even more interesting, they were really used as the cannon balls!
Olivine is the most common mineral on Earth and very important rock forming mineral. The common term olivine refers to olivine group minerals and to IMA valid mineral forsterite. This article will focus on forsterite, which is very popular gem and forms crystals popular among collectors.
Anatase is rare and highly aesthetic form of titanium oxide, which occurs almost exclusively in Alpine environment. It's great combinations with adularia and quartz are very popular among collectors. But it also has some unique physical properties, which are used in hi-tech applications.
Høydalen is a very interesting hybrid LCT-NYF pegmatite in southern Norway, about 40 km NW from Kragerø. It is famous for it's amazonite and lepidolite, as well as many REE minerals. It still provides excellent collecting opportunity.
It is that time of year again – autumn is here and also the Munich show. For those unfamiliar, this is the biggest mineral show in Europe and probably the second most important show after Tucson.
Wavellite normally occurs as a secondary product in the near-surface environment in phosphate-bearing rock. Specimens can be spectacularly beautiful as radiating starburst or spherical clusters. Wavellite spheres - and especially the colored varieties - are very popular among mineral collectors.
The small town of Lom is located in southern part of Norway, just next to the famous Jotunheimen National Park. A very interesting mineral museum Fossheim Steinsenter is located at the western end of the town.
Anhydrite is a common mineral, widely found in desert environments. It is also found on the tops of salt domes piercing the younger sediments in oil-rich compressional mountain belts and in evaporite deposits.
The story of the settlement of Australia is the story of a remote penal colony unexpectedly turning into a cauldron of repeated mass migrations driven by the discovery of rich gold deposits. The gold discoveries were simply unbelievable, including the biggest nugget ever found!
Scheelite is an important ore of tungsten and exotic faceting material. Great scheelite specimens are also highly appreciated among mineral collectors.
Thulite (pink zoisite variety) is a Norwegian national stone and popular lapidary material. One of the well known thulite localities is Søre Lia Quarry near Lom, Norway. Here is the trip report from the visit in summer 2017:
Munich show is probably the most important European mineral show. Munich 2017 was well worth it, many new mineral finds, many interesting mineral deals and offers.
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