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Remainder Carbonates in our System Completed

We completed rewriting all of the remainder carbonate minerals in our guide. This involved a complete rewrite on all aspects of the minerals with newer information and a better writing style. We have also added larger 3D crystals and have added many new images of additional mineral habits. Here is a list of the additional updated minerals:

Rewriting of the Carbonates

We have undertaken the task of rewriting all the carbonate minerals in our guide. The content was written many years ago, and will benefit from a complete overhaul, including updated introduction details, locality information, and larger 3D crystal sketches. We are also adding many additional pictures to each mineral we go through.

We started first with the Calcite group, with the following mineral now completed:

Nitrate Minerals Added

The nitrates group of minerals are seldom represented in collections, and they generally do not make good mineral specimens. Nevertheless, we wanted our guide to have a representation of all the groups of minerals, hence we included these minerals. Futher, the nitrates have been economically important and are therefore known for their industrial applications.
 

Here are the new nitrate minerals we added: 

Zincite Exhibit at Franklin, New Jersey

I attended the Franklin, New Jersey, mineral show this past September. Although this show is relatively small and local, it usually does have several public display exhibits of interesting local minerals, especially Franklin and Sterling Hill minerals. At this show, there were two display exhibits dedicated to Zincite which I found interesting.

Zincite is an unusual mineral, and is found in a natural state only from the Franklin mineral district. I photographed the Zincite specimen cases, as well as some of the individual minerals in the case. This post demonstrates an interesting variety and diversity of colors and habits of this mineral.


Zincite Display Case of Dick Hauck
Zincite Display Case of Dick Hauck

Red Zincite in Calcite from Sterling Hill
Red Zincite in Calcite from Sterling Hill

Bright Orange Zincite with Franklinite from Sterling Hill
Bright Orange Zincite with Franklinite from Sterling Hill

Zincite Case from the Franklin Mineral Museum
Zincite Case from the Franklin Mineral Museum

Unusual Yellow Zincite Vein
Unusual Yellow Zincite Vein

Parallel Fingers of Zincite in Calcite
Parallel "Fingers" of Zincite in Calcite

Zincite with a Very Dark, Almost Black Color
Zincite with a Very Dark, Almost Black Color

Zincite with a Pearly Luster and Iridescent Effect
Zincite with a Pearly Luster and Iridescent Effect

Zincite with a Pearly Luster and Iridescent Effect
Large Zincite Crystals (Greater than Half Inch) from Franklin

New York State Museum at Albany: Part 4 - New York City Minerals

This post shows the minerals of New York City at the New York Museum in Albany. New York City has a surprising variety minerals, with 130 species confirmed. Many of the mineral finds have occurred in the vast construction projects, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.


Minerals of New York City Case
Minerals of New York City Case

Schorl in Quartz from Manhattan
Schorl Tourmaline in Quartz from Manhattan

Dravite Tourmaline in Mica Schist from Manhattan
Dravite Tourmaline in mica schist from Manhattan

Almandine Garnet from Manhattan
Almandine Garnet Crystals from Manhattan

Chrysoberyl Crystals in Quartz from Manhattan
Chrysoberyl Crystals in Quartz from Manhattan

Calcite from Woodside, Queens
Calcite from Woodside, Queens

Radiating Stilbite from the Bronx
Radiating Stilbite from the Bronx