Minerals.net

The Springfield show organizers put together an exceptional display of minerals every year in their public show exhibit. This year's exhibit featured the collection of Marty Zinn, promoter of several import mineral shows including the Springfield show. Marty's collection is indeed very impressive, with many world-class specimens. There were over 45 public display cases, each one a showcase with individually themed minerals of impressive stature. 

Most of the display cases were accompanied with unique and interesting props such as accompanying paintings or mineral magazines featuring a mineral within the case. Especially prevalent was a painting of a mineral within a case from renowned mineral artist Fred Wilda. 

Pictures of the showcases are outlined below. We will also provide some postings of individual minerals that stood out within each case. Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.

Fluorite on Muscovite and Feldspar from the Hunza Valley, Gilgit, Pakistan


Fluorite & Calcite from the Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Tennessee


Fluorite, Apatite & Bertrandite from Akchatatu, Karaganda, Kazakhstan


Marty Zinn Select Nice Miniatures & Small Cabinets


Marty Zinn's Select Cabinet & Showcase Minerals


Rose Quartz from Taquaral, Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil


Quartz from Brazil


Quartz Casts and Epimorphss


Quartz var. Amethyst from Artigas, Uruguay


Quartz var. Amethyst from Various Localities


Minerals from Namibia


Tourmaline with Albite, Lepidolite, & Quartz from Minas Gerais, Brazil


Tourmaline with Albite, Lepidolite, & Quartz from the Himalaya Mine, San Diego Co., California


Pyromorphite from the Bunker Hill Mine, Kellogg, Idaho


Variscite with Millsite & Crandallite from the Little Green Monster MIne, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Utah


Red Beryl from the Violet Claim, Wah Wah Mountains, Milford Co., Utah


Aquamarine from the Hunza Valley, Gilgit, Pakistan


Rhodochrosite Stalactites and Lapidary Art from the Capillita Mines, Catamarca, Argentina


Smithsonite from the Kelly Mine, Magdalena, Socorro Co., New Mexico


Calcite, Manganocalcite, and Cobaltian Calcite


Barite from Worldwide Localities


Minerals from Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia


Apatite from Worldwide Localities

There were many new and interesting minerals to be seen at the Springfield Show. There was both old and classic material, as well as new finds. I photographed some of the more interesting items that I encountered at the show and am glad to be able to share them with you.

Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up. Additional pictures can be found on our Instagram page at www.instagram.com/mineralsnet.

Purple Apatite from Namibia
Throwin' Stones (Rusty James - Asheville, NC)


An Exceptionally Large Jeremjeyvite Crystal from Erongo, Namibia (Collected 2006)
Throwin' Stones (Rusty James - Asheville, NC)


Amethyst with Lepidocrocoite Inclusions, Gobobosberg Mountains, Erongo, Namibia
Allectoris Minerals (Rocko Rosenblatt - Margaretville, NY)


New Find of Dolomite from the Lead Mine Road Gash Vein, Macomb, St. Lawrence Co., NY
Collected May 2015 by Michael Walter
Geologic Desires (Michael Walter - Nicholville, NY) 


Flat of the New Find of Dolomite from the Lead Mine Road Gash Vein, Macomb, St. Lawrence Co., NY
Collected May 2015 by Michael Walter
Geologic Desires (Michael Walter - Nicholville, NY)


Adularescent Peristerite from the Ellis Farm, Macomb, St. Lawrence Co., New York
Collected June 2015 by Michael Walter
Geologic Desires (Michael Walter - Nicholville, NY)


Willemite Crystal in Calcite from the Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ
The Mineral Cabinet (Bill Butkowski - New Providence, NJ)


Huge Datolite Crystal from Charcas, St. Luis Potosi, Mexico
Alan's Quality Minerals (Alan Benson - Mt. Laurel, NJ)


Unusual Elongated Morganite Crystal on Matrix from Madagascar
Morganite is usually flattened and tabular, and rarely elongated
The Uncarved Block (Pu Tzu - Sebastopol, CA)


An Enormous Green Fluorite from the Erongo Mountains, Namibia
The Uncarved Block (Pu Tzu - Sebastopol, CA)


Mineral Artist Fred Wilda Posing with a Grossular Garnet and Diopside from Eden Mills, VT
This Specimen was dug out from a groundhog hole in the mine
Natures Finest Creations (Fred Wilda - Hadley, MA)


Large Titanite from Bras Couper, Montcerf, Quebec, Canada
Lambert Minerals (Dan & Shelley Lambert - Newport, MI)


Rare Red Elbaite Tourmaline in Lepidolite from Connecticut, from the Neil Wilson Collection.
(Specific locality not available.) Such Tourmaline is almost unheard of from Connecticut.
Minerals America (Michael Jacob - Eagle, PA)


Chalcopyrite Formation in Galena from Shullsburg, Wisconsin
Donald K. Olson - Bonsall, CA


Classic Witherite Crystals from Cumberland, England
Donald K. Olson - Bonsall, CA


Unusual Diopside Crystal Cluster from the Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Canada
Geokrazy Minerals: (Geoffrey Krasnov - Wilmington, NC)


Aquamarine in a Biotite Cast. Beryl in a Pseudomorph Cast is Unusual.


Lustrous Topaz Crystal from Karengerenge, Solwezi, Zambia.
This Topaz Highly Resembles the Imperial Topaz from Brazil.


Classic Magnetite Dodecahedrons from the Tilly Foster Mine in Brewster, NY.
These old-time specimens are from the 1800's and were from the Ron Januzzi Collection.
Yankee Mineral & Gem Co (Ted Johnson - Cobalt, CT)


Classic Chondrodite crystals from the Tilly Foster Mine in Brewster, NY.
These old-time specimens are from the 1800's and were from the Ron Januzzi Collection.
Yankee Mineral & Gem Co (Ted Johnson - Cobalt, CT)


Red Spinel in Marble from Luc Yen, Vietnam
Breck Kent - High Bridge, NJ


Large Orange Grossular Garnet from the Jeffrey Quarry, Asbestos, Quebec
Well Arranged Molecules (Kevin Downey - Florence, MA)


Exceptional Azurite Crystals on Limestone Matrix, Milpillas Mine, Sonora, Mexico
Unique Minerals (Evan Jones & Marc Miterman)


Torbernite from Margabal, Averyon, France
Unique Minerals (Evan Jones & Marc Miterman)

One of the most significant mineral events of the summer is the East Coast Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show, in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Informally known as the Springfield Show, this is the most popular mineral event in the Eastern United States. The show took place in the Eastern States Exposition from August 7 through 9. 

This show is large in size, with a truly impressive number of dealers. The show also has a healthy representation of significant dealers with high-end material, as well as more localized dealers offering many bargains to be found.

The Springfield show has a special exhibit with different collections featured every year. This exhibit is well-organized, with a quality display of good cases and proper lighting. This year's public exhibit featured the incredible mineral collection of none other than Marty Zinn, the organizer of the Springfield Show. There were close to 50 exhibit cases filled with an amazing array of color and quality, with each case themed and well thought-out. We will feature Marty's exhibits as well as some of his individual minerals, so stay tuned as we'll be posting this in the coming days.

As far as mineral news goes, Jason Baskin of Jay's Minerals debuted a new find of quality Amethyst crystals from Windham County, Connecticut. This new locality was mined by Jason during the past several months and first brought to the public at the Springfield show. We hope to write a special report on this with information from Jason, but in the meantime, you can enjoy some of the photos we took of this new find of Amethyst.

Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.

Large Amethyst Crystal from Windham Co., CT


Doubly terminated Amethyst Crystal with Great Color Zoning


Several Amethyst Crystals on Matrix


Another Doubly Terminated Amethyst Crystal on a Clear Quartz Matrix


Jason Baskin (R) and his cousin Kyle Baskin (L) in Front of their Amethyst for Sale


Several Flats of the the Amethyst at Jason's Booth


A Close Up of some Good Amethyst Points in the Flats


Another Great Amethyst Matrix Piece


An Exceptional Amethyst Purchased by Alan Benson

Does Fort Knox really have Gold? This vexing question has been asked by many. Our partner Brian Wallace from NowSourcing has put together a great infographic for Scottsdale Bullion & Coin which gives new insight and details regarding Gold in Fort Knox. We hope you enjoy: