Mineral Monday - 07/10/2022

[Douglas Sherman]

I am running out of mineral specimens to show here so I am approaching the end of mineral threads.

Josh Fox, please add some of your specimens to this thread.

Quartz crystals atop Sphalerite crystals from Peru.

An unusual piece of black petrified wood. It was formed in a strong reducing environment where little oxygen was available.

 

[AlanLichty]

Wow - you saved some of the best for last. I love the crystals but am also fascinated by the black petrified wood as I never knew that even existed before now.

 

[Ben Egbert]

This is sad that you are running out is minerals to show, I will really miss them. But you are ending with a great show.

 

[MonikaC]

That black petrified wood is really unique. This has been a great series, Doug. I'm glad that you did it & I will miss it.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very nice Doug. Its been a nice ride with all the different minerals you shared with us. Thank you.

 

[JimFox]

I love this series Doug! It's been so interesting and educational.

But... I don't think it should end. I might need to make a trip to Sedona and pick you up and we can go on rock shopping trip!!! Maybe we can go over to Quartzite? Didn't they have a lot of rock shops there?

 

[Joshua Fox]

A couple samples from our last trip out, we went to

Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA

A surface mine

Malachite, with traces of azerite

Azurite

Chalcocite

All 3 are on sandstone and found of the surface of an open cut on a private claim at the surface mine

A couple of photos from the mine it self, in the first photo we where back in the back right grayish area of the mine, the second photo was of a really cool pc of Azerite/Malachite that was way to large to carry out.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Nice selection here Josh, and good to see you adding to this thread again,

 

[JimFox]

A couple samples from our last trip out, we went to

Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA

A surface mine
View attachment 50608
Malachite, with traces of azerite
View attachment 50609
Azurite
View attachment 50610
Chalcocite

All 3 are on sandstone and found of the surface of an open cut on a private claim at the surface mine

View attachment 50611

View attachment 50612
A couple of photos from the mine it self, in the first photo we where back in the back right grayish area of the mine, the second photo was of a really cool pc of Azerite/Malachite that was way to large to carry out.

That's great seeing all of those colors in the rock, especially in #1. And I like seeing the area photos showing where it was that you found these.

 

[AlanLichty]

A couple samples from our last trip out, we went to

Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA

A surface mine

Malachite, with traces of azerite

Azurite

Chalcocite

All 3 are on sandstone and found of the surface of an open cut on a private claim at the surface mine

A couple of photos from the mine it self, in the first photo we where back in the back right grayish area of the mine, the second photo was of a really cool pc of Azerite/Malachite that was way to large to carry out.

Neat examples.

A bit of historical trivia on azurite - this was the primary source for the color blue dating back at least 5000 years ago. By the time Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling it was a very scarce resource and as such quite expensive. Some of the correspondence dating to Michelangelo's work there was focused on the cost of getting enough azurite for his painting efforts. The cost was close to the cost of all the rest of the materials he used for that project.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

A couple samples from our last trip out, we went to

Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA

A surface mine
View attachment 50608
Malachite, with traces of azerite
View attachment 50609
Azurite
View attachment 50610
Chalcocite

All 3 are on sandstone and found of the surface of an open cut on a private claim at the surface mine

View attachment 50611

View attachment 50612
A couple of photos from the mine it self, in the first photo we where back in the back right grayish area of the mine, the second photo was of a really cool pc of Azerite/Malachite that was way to large to carry out.

Thanks for posting, Josh.

Wow - you saved some of the best for last. I love the crystals but am also fascinated by the black petrified wood as I never knew that even existed before now.

Nice selection here Josh, and good to see you adding to this thread again,

That black petrified wood is really unique. This has been a great series, Doug. I'm glad that you did it & I will miss it.

But... I don't think it should end. I might need to make a trip to Sedona and pick you up and we can go on rock shopping trip!!! Maybe we can go over to Quartzite? Didn't they have a lot of rock shops there?

Very nice Doug. Its been a nice ride with all the different minerals you shared with us. Thank you.

I didn't want to imply that this post was the end of Mineral Monday. I still have enough specimens to last for about five weeks if I do about three specimens per week. I just wanted to alert you that the end is coming soon.

 

[MonikaC]

A couple samples from our last trip out, we went to

Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA

A surface mine
View attachment 50608
Malachite, with traces of azerite
View attachment 50609
Azurite
View attachment 50610
Chalcocite

All 3 are on sandstone and found of the surface of an open cut on a private claim at the surface mine

View attachment 50611

View attachment 50612
A couple of photos from the mine it self, in the first photo we where back in the back right grayish area of the mine, the second photo was of a really cool pc of Azerite/Malachite that was way to large to carry out.

That malachite is pretty cool. Great colors.