Tucson Gem and Mineral Show 2013Welcome to the second show report from the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, 2013.  In this report we will include some of the great specimens we currently have on offer at the show, as well as what’s about at the Arizona Mineral and Fossil show at the Hotel Tucson City Center (formerly known as The InnSuites) including exciting items new to the mineral world. But first, venturing about 2 miles down the road we entered the Ramada Inn Show which has a predominance of wholesale bulk purchase minerals together with fossils and other artifacts.

Some marquees are filled with an array of fossil dinosaur and mammal skeletons.  You might need a very large suitcase to get them home!
Some marquees are filled with an array of fossil dinosaur and mammal skeletons. You might need a very large suitcase to get them home!
Some fossils have undergone remarkable preparation work, turning them into aesthetic works of art.
Some fossils have undergone remarkable preparation work, turning them into aesthetic works of art.
Tables covered in loose Ammonite fossils from Madagascar, between 1.2" to 3" in size. These specimens are attractive as they still have their iridescent nacreous inner shell attached.
Tables covered in loose Ammonite fossils from Madagascar, between 1.2″ to 3″ in size. These specimens are attractive as they still have their iridescent nacreous inner shell attached.
A tray of a different kind of fossil Ammonite, (Perisphinctes sp.) - very well preserved from the Jurassic period - approx. 165 Million years old, again from Madagascar.
A tray of a different kind of fossil Ammonite, (Perisphinctes sp.) – very well preserved from the Jurassic period – approx. 165 Million years old, again from Madagascar.
Here is one for the not-so-serious paleontologists amongst us - a rare example of Nokia Cellfonii sp.  - in association with contemporary (!) Ammonites. Do you need a new mobile phone?
Here is one for the not-so-serious paleontologists amongst us – a rare example of Nokia Cellfonii sp.  – in association with contemporary (!) Ammonites. Do you need a new mobile phone?

Back outside, in the driveway servicing the Ramada there are rows and rows of tables, some covered with Rock crystal Quartz specimens from Arkansas, others with Amethyst, Smoky Quartz and an assortment of other materials all available for either bulk buy or individual purchase.

Quartz crystal specimens for sale
Near specimen grade Quartz crystal groups for sale on one of the tables.
Smoky Quartz crystals for sale
Another table of Quartz specimens glistening in the sun. This time all artificially irradiated to give them the Smoky/Black colour we are all so familiar with.
Tubs of Amethyst from Brazil. Specimens reaching 3" and 4" across.
Tubs of Amethyst from Brazil. Specimens reaching 3″ and 4″ across.
A huge sculptural Amethyst geode from Uruguay with large Calcite crystals enclosed. Dave Lloyd in the background to give you some idea of size.
A huge sculptural Amethyst geode from Uruguay with large Calcite crystals enclosed. Dave Lloyd in the background to give you some idea of size.

Back to the Hotel Tucson City Centre, most of the wholesale rooms and some of the retail rooms are now open for business. One of my first ports of call was John Cornish’s room. As ever John was his smiling welcoming self and we chatted for a while over a few of the pieces he had in his cabinets. He had a several British specimens that took Lloydy’s gaze but the specimens that caught my eye were some remarkable small Rhodochrosites from China. So much so I had to add one to my collection. Here is one of the better specimens John had:

A very pretty Rhodochrosite in association with Quartz, from the Wutong Mine, Liubao, Cangwu Co., Wuzhou Prefecture, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
A very pretty Rhodochrosite in association with Quartz, from the Wutong Mine, Liubao, Guangxi Zhuang AR, China.

The specimen measures about 2″ (50mm) across with individual crystals around 8mm across. Each crystal exhibits a near discoid shape outline. From the side the crystals appear as sandwiches of pale pink Rhodochrosite with a rich deep reddish-pink filling. It doesn’t stop there. The flat surfaces of the crystals show a kind of schiller as you catch the light on them. I can only imagine this is caused by a submicroscopic growth of shallow parallel terminal faces. Some of these are then dusted with a little manganese oxides which further enhances the appearance. John had only a few of these cuties, so if you’re as fascinated by these as I was you’d best get in there soon.

John also had this superb Arsenopyrite specimen, again from China:

Slender sharp and bright terminated prismatic crystals of Arsenopyrite measuring around 3" in length from near Daye, Jiangxi province, China.
Slender sharp and bright terminated prismatic crystals of Arsenopyrite measuring around 3″ in length from near Daye, Jiangxi province, China.

Joe Dorris at Pinnacle 5 Minerals had his usual display of great Amazonite and Smoky Quartz specimens:

A fine cluster of Amazonite crystals with white caps and "stripes" on some faces, with Smoky Quartz from the Smoky Hawk Mine, Crystal Peak Mining District, Teller County, Colorado, USA. Specimen measures approx. 7" across.
A fine cluster of Amazonite crystals with white caps and “stripes” on some faces, with Smoky Quartz from the Smoky Hawk Mine, Crystal Peak Mining District, Teller Co., Colorado, USA. Specimen measures approx. 7″ across.

Pinnacle 5 also had these new specimens of blue Cleavelandite (and one pink!):

Blue Albite var. Cleavelandite from Delmoe Lake area, Boulder Batholith, Jefferson Co., Montana, USA.
Blue Albite var. Cleavelandite from Delmoe Lake area, Boulder Batholith, Jefferson Co., Montana, USA.
A closeup of one Cleavelandite specimen with Smoky Quartz. Specimen measures around 2 1/2" across.
A closeup of one Cleavelandite specimen with Smoky Quartz. Specimen measures around 2 1/2″ across.

Tom Praszkier of Spirifer Minerals had some interesting Polish minerals including these polished slices of “Schalenblende” – banded Sphalerite, Galena and Marcasite from Olkusz Mine, Olkusz District, Małopolskie, Poland.

A selection of polished slices of "Schalenblende" from Olkusz Mine, Olkusz District, Małopolskie, Poland. Largest around 5".
A selection of polished slices of “Schalenblende” from Olkusz Mine, Poland. Largest around 5″.
Detail of the banding in the Schalenblende enhanced by polishing.
Detail of the banding in the Schalenblende enhanced by polishing.

Tom also had these specimens of Baryte and Marcasite, again partly polished to show the attractive internal structure:

Nodular concretions of Baryte with Marcasite partly polished to show the banding from Lubin, Lubin District, Legnica, Lower Silesia, Poland.
Nodular concretions of Baryte with Marcasite partly polished to show the banding from Lubin, Lubin District, Legnica, Lower Silesia, Poland.
Close-up of one of the Baryte, Marcasite nodules from Lubin Poland.
Closeup of one of the Baryte, Marcasite nodules

One cabinet in Tom’s room was devoted to specimens of Corundum in matrix from Madagascar, notice the “skin” of Feldspar around the individual Corundum crystals on a lot of the specimens.

An assortment of well developed Corundum crystals in matrix from Zazafotsy Quarry (Amboarohy), Zazafotsy Commune, Ihosy District, Horombe Region, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar.
An assortment of well developed Corundum crystals in matrix from Zazafotsy Quarry (Amboarohy), Ihosy, Madagascar.
A closer look at one of these Corundum crystal specimens.
A closer look at one of these Corundum crystal specimens.

Tom had this solitary Linarite specimen on one of his shelves from an unusual location:

Rich Linarite with a little Cerussite from Kirki (Kirka), Xánthi Prefecture, Thraki Department, Greece.
Rich Linarite with a little Cerussite from Kirki (Kirka), Xánthi Prefecture, Thraki Department, Greece.

As ever the guys at Collector’s Edge had a few spectacular exhibits, and we can’t complete this report without a mention of two exceptional Calcite specimens they had from China.

Standing about 6" or so tall, a very aesthetic group of Calcites with Quartz from Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Hexigten Banner, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
Standing about 6″ or so tall, a very aesthetic group of Calcite with Quartz from Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Hexigten Banner, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

Last year I gave a mention to the team at the Adelaide Mining Company who each year bring a spectacular display of Crocoite specimens. Then, Adam Wright had told me they did not have their full display due to the damage of many specimens in transit. Thankfully this year no such catastrophe had happened and the display of specimens, a lot of them recently mined, was a feast for the eyes. I took many photos in their room, I just couldn’t resist, but unfortunately I don’t have space to show you them all. Here are just a few – the first is not one of the largest specimens in Adam’s showcases but, well I don’t need to say why I really wanted to include this one:

 Crocoite from the Adelaide Mine, Dundas mineral field, Zeehan District, Tasmania, Australia. Specimen measures around 4" across.
Crocoite from the Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia. Specimen measures around 4″ across.
Crocoite from Dundas, Tasmania, Australia
The slender Crocoite needles on one specimens.
Crocoite from the Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia
Slightly thicker and therefore richer in colour, this cluster of Crocoite needles was attached to the end of a larger specimen.

One of my favourite dealers is Luis Burillo. Luis always has a range of good quality specimens at reasonable prices. This year he had a selection of great Bournonites from Bolivia. Here is one of the better specimens with a particularly fine cluster of interlocking Bournonite “cog wheels” on matrix from  the Viboras Mine, Machacamarca District, Potosí Depart., Bolivia. The specimen measures around 5″ end to end.

Bournonite "cog wheels" on matrix from  the Viboras Mine, Machacamarca District, Cornelio Saavedra Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia.
Bournonite “cog wheels” on matrix from the Viboras Mine, Potosí Department, Bolivia.

Luis also had this well developed Löllingite specimen from China:

Löllingite  from the Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Hexigten Banner, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Specimen measures about 5" tall.
Löllingite  from the Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Inner Mongolia AR, China. Specimen measures about 5″ tall.

The doors to our Retail room opened promptly at 10am on Saturday and we soon had an influx of prospective customers eagerly looking for that specimen to add to their collection.

Kristalle show room at the Arizona Mineral and Fossil show, Tucson

Here is just a taste of some of the fine mineral specimens we have on offer in our retail showroom:

A well defined group of twinned Cerussite crystals from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia.
A well defined group of twinned Cerussite crystals from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia.
A superb Cobaltoan-Calcite crystal group with associated Malachite from Mashamba, Kolwezi District, Katanga Copper Crescent, Democratic Republic of Congo.
A superb Cobaltoan-Calcite crystal group with associated Malachite from Mashamba, Kolwezi District, Katanga Copper Crescent, DR Congo.
Gemmy terminated Fluorapatite crystal standing on matrix from the classic location of Cerro de Mercado Mine, Cerro de los Remedios, Durango, Mexico.
Gemmy terminated Fluorapatite crystal standing on matrix from the classic location of Cerro de Mercado Mine, Cerro de los Remedios, Durango, Mexico.
A selection of extremely well crystallized specimens of Pyrite showing complex form and an almost mirror polish on some of the faces, from the Merelani Hills, Arusha Region, Tanzania.
A selection of extremely well crystallized specimens of Pyrite showing complex form and an almost mirror polish on some of the faces, from the Merelani Hills, Arusha Region, Tanzania.
Cuprian Smithsonite from the Hilarion Mines, Kamariza, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece.
Cuprian Smithsonite from the Hilarion Mines, Kamariza, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece.
Crystals of Malachite pseudomorphing Cuprite, from the Hilarion Mines, Kamariza, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece.
Crystals of Malachite pseudomorphing Cuprite, from the Hilarion Mines, Lavrion, Greece.
A super greenish-blue specimen of Cuprian Adamite from the Serpieri Mines, Kamariza, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion, Greece.
A super greenish-blue specimen of Cuprian Adamite from the Serpieri Mines, Lavrion, Greece.
Goethite coatings after Gypsum (Selenite) crystals from Jean Baptiste Mine, Kamariza, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion District Mines, Lavrion, Attikí Prefecture, Greece. Specimen is around 8" in length.
Goethite coatings after Gypsum (Selenite) crystals from Jean Baptiste Mine, Kamariza, Lavrion, Greece. Specimen is around 8″ in length.
Spherical Rhodochrosite on Manganite from N'Chwaning Mines, Kuruman, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Spherical Rhodochrosite on Manganite from N’Chwaning Mines, South Africa.
Manganoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia.
Manganoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia.

We hope this offering is enough to keep you interested for our next instalment, when we will bring you some more goodies from the Hotel Tucson City Centre in a few days time. Until then, Happy Hunting!

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