KOFA National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona - February 2009 - photo by John Veevaert
John Veevaert    6152 Mia Vista Dr., Reno Nevada  USA  (888) 689-8402



 

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Show Reports
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Tucson 2017
Report 2
 
It has been non-stop since we arrived here.  Initially it seemed that this show was going to be one of those that was destined to be a retread of old recycled collections.  Not so!  There are quite a few new and interesting minerals here this year.  This Tucson show has been very good for purchasing specimens from old collections and from other know localities but it has also provided an opportunity to get specimens from new localities. This brief installment will cover several.

Australian dealer Rob Sielecki had a new find of valentinte from the Xikuangshan Sb deposit in Hunan Province, China.  I have seen a number of valentinite specimens from various localities around the world but never any like this one with acicular crystals.  I have heard that these first made it to the market at the Denver show last year. But Rob's got a number of fantastic specimens.  The crystals are acicular and have a pleasing gold color.  The matrix is gray jasperoid so the valentinite contrasts nicely with the matrix.  Valentinite is a simple oxide of antimony (Sb2O3) and forms crystals in the orthorhombic crystal system.


A single spray and a specimen with multiple sprays of the new valentinite from China.

 

I was contacted by Italian dealer Emanuele Marini regarding a new find of bertrandite from the Golconda mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil.  I don't know about you but I have seen a lot of bertrandite in the past and the crystals have always been in the mm realm.  You know 2-5 mm in size.  Well my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw these things.  I had heard that some crystals to 2 cm had been found in the past from the Golconda but not up to 4 cm! We're talking bertrandite here.  Anyway, I purchased five specimens from Emanuele.  Some have associations with schorl and/or muscovite.  I saw one specimen that I can't publish a picture of that is likely the finest known specimen of bertrandite - a large cabinet specimen with numerous crystals to 4 cm.  These types of specimens rarely ever see the light of day as they are quickly placed in collections for crazy money.  

 


Bertrandite with a wedge of microcline and muscovite crystals.  The largest bertrandite is 3.6 cm in length!
 

The best specimen I obtained from Emanuele - numerous crystals to 4 cm in length.
 
 
 
 
 
 
On February 5th I received a call from Tony Potucek asking me where the hell I was.   I told him I was at the Westward Look - looking and he said he was at the Hotel Tucson City Center. Tony is well known as the purveyor of the "Rolling Bar" and there is a "Rogue's Gallery" of people who've bellied up to that bar and had a taste of the good life over the years.  There have been seemingly countless parking lot meetings where those of us who are weak around a good single malt meet to talk minerals and show specimens we've found at the show or convey what we've seen while roaming the various venues around Tucson, Denver or where ever!  When I pulled up to the "Rolling Bar" I was pleased to see my cigar buddy John White there along with the busiest Canadian in the mineral business - Rod Tyson - relaxed and enjoying a shot or two of both single malts and ryes that the group had. Tony Potucek is the best and is an avid collector of the Ojuela mine. 
 
What I didn't exect was to find out that Rod had a large array of fine phosphates that he'd collected this past summer in 2016 up in the Yukon along Rapid Creek.  Exceptional crystals of lazulite and brazilianite.  They were too good to not plow through so I bought a dozen or so and will have them up during the show here.  This is the great thing about Tucson.  You NEVER know when a good buying opportunity is going to strike. 
 
 

Tony (left) and me at the "Rolling Bar".  Tucson is the best!
 
 

Two lustrous, deep blue lazulite crystals. comprise this 2.3 cm specimen.
 

Several pale green brazilianite with root beer colored siderite crystals. 

 

One of the other more significant new finds here are specimens of crystallized talc.  You heard me right.  Crystallized talc.  I have seen a lot of talc in the past and all of it has been more or less massive, lammelar, soft stuff.  These specimens are from Zederhaus Valley, Lungau, Salzburg, Austria.  They have a rich sea foam green color and the crystals are sharp and distinct. Laslo Gal has these and he will be set up at the main show.  I was quite pleased to be able to obtain a number of these ahead of time.

7.2 cm specimen with lustrous sea foam green crystals of talc.
 
Set up for the main show is in two days.  I can hardly wait to see what else shows up here!

Past Shows & Reports
PLEASE NOTE: The minerals that were offered on these pages are all sold
1999
Munich Show
2000
Sainte Marie Show
Munich Show
2001
Sainte Marie Show
Munich Show
2002
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2003
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2004
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2005
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2006
Tucson Show
Bologna Show
Sainte Marie Show
East Coast Show
Munich Show
2007
Tucson Show
Dallas Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2008
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2009
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2010
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show

Munich Show

2011
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2012
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show  
Munich Show

2013
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
Crystal Days (Poland)
East Coast Show
Munich Show

2014
Tucson Show
Denver Show 

Munich Show

2015
Tucson Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show 
Munich Show

2016
Tucson Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show 
Munich Show

 
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