Grand Canyon - March, 2005 - photo by John Veevaert

John Veevaert    PO BOX 2182   Weaverville, California  96093  USA  (888) 689-8402

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Return to the 2008 Tucson Show Homepage 

Show Reports
Report 1   Report 2   Report 3   Report 4  Report 5  Report 6

Displays - 1   Displays - 2    Displays - 3

 

Main Show Displays 3

 

Ok - I told you all to be here and I know that was not going to be possible but this particular Tucson Show will be talked about until everyone who saw it has died.  There will never again be an assemblage of mineral specimens from the USA to equal what was here ever again anywhere.  Every mineral enthusiast who walked into the main show was left with the exact same impressions: "too overwhelming to comprehend", "beyond belief", "never again in my lifetime", "simply awe inspiring", "left me speechless", and on an on. As I write this on the last day of the main show I am eternally grateful to have been here in Tucson for this event as I will never ever again see so many incredible mineral specimens all under one roof.  The theme for next year's show is tentatively set to be "Mineral Oddities". It might as well be the "Best of the Wyoming Coal Mines" as it will be humbled into obscurity by what was seen here in 2008.

 

I have broken the display pages into 3 parts  as there is just too much to throw on to one page.  I also have to apologize upfront as I decided to use ambient lighting instead of the flash which would just have bounced back into the camer off the case glass.  Some of the pictures are a bit grainy as a result.  Regardless, you will get the point...

 

 

 

There was a nearly constant crowd around the Hardin County, Illinois case. Calcium Fluoride never looked so good.

 

 

The Copper Country case from Michigan was just incredible...

 

Jackson Crossroads in Georgia is home to some of the best amethyst from the USA ever found.

 

Kelly mine Cuprian Smithsonite was like looking into a dream... Look at the size of some of these specimens!!!!!!!!!!!s

Hiddenite & Emerald from Alexander County, North Carolina - home to the finest emeralds and hiddenite known from ANYWHERE on the planet. Sorry Colombia. It's true.

The finest known emerald specimen in the world and the finest known hiddenite in the world.

 

The Tri State and Vibernum Trend has two cases also.

 

The Red Cloud Mine has a special case as North America's premier wulfenite locality. Two views of the famous Ed Over specimen from 1938.

 

 

Pegmatite minerals from the Mount Mica mine in Maine.

I had to think for while to decide which cases were my favorite.  Think about it - all of these remarkable cases would be center pieces in just about any show at any time.  I have a bias towards Benitoite so from a sentimental standpoint it was my favorite.  However, from a mineralogical standpoint I have to say the display of Tiger minerals was just incredible.  They were not the big flashy extravegant minerals but for what they were they were the "creme de la creme" of this interesting locality.  Hats off to Les Presmyk and company who put together the case of the show in my humble opinion.

The Tiger case in its entirety.

 

 

 

 

1 + inch Caledonite crystals and a 2.5 inch linarite.... Are you kidding me??????