Minerals· Page 3 · AditNow Community

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

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ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#41

Once a gain I am stumped by well thought out arguments, I can see merit in these posts.

All I can say is if I visited a site where there are some nice pockets of crystals (I can think of a few places) to find them chopped out I would find it a bit disappointing, much as if there was an interesting artefact that disappeared.

On the other hand if someone wants to go to the trouble of obtaining the necessary permissions to re-open a mine or start a new one generally I'd be in favour.

Also I'm not averse to picking up a loose bit of interesting stuff off the floor.

All a matter of scale and context I suppose :confused:

moorlandmineral
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#42

"ttxela" wrote:
Once a gain I am stumped by well thought out arguments, I can see merit in these posts.

All I can say is if I visited a site where there are some nice pockets of crystals (I can think of a few places) to find them chopped out I would find it a bit disappointing, much as if there was an interesting artefact that disappeared.

On the other hand if someone wants to go to the trouble of obtaining the necessary permissions to re-open a mine or start a new one generally I'd be in favour.
Also I'm not averse to picking up a loose bit of interesting stuff off the floor.

All a matter of scale and context I suppose :confused:

Damned Right!!! Season of Goodwill and all that!!! Now where's the sherry and mince pies... ;D;D

pwhole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#43

I've got a cardboard box full of mineral samples that I've picked up over the years from various mines - about 3kg of galena, in various sized chunks, shitloads of fluorite, baryte and calcite in all their forms (all worthless), toadstone, slag and a few bits of 'unspecified' stuff, all also worthless. And a huge piece of vein that weighs about 10kg on its own, and is a great doorstop (and conversation stopper).

Eventually I'll have to dispose of all this crap, so does anyone know the best way of doing so? I could build a little cairn outside a mine with a 'help yourself' sign? Would Oxfam be interested? Somehow I doubt it.

Maybe I should just give it all to T pot and he can fling it all into the Cavendish Mill crusher 😞

moorlandmineral
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#44

"pwhole" wrote:
I've got a cardboard box full of mineral samples that I've picked up over the years from various mines - about 3kg of galena, in various sized chunks, shitloads of fluorite, baryte and calcite in all their forms (all worthless), toadstone, slag and a few bits of 'unspecified' stuff, all also worthless. And a huge piece of vein that weighs about 10kg on its own, and is a great doorstop (and conversation stopper).

Eventually I'll have to dispose of all this crap, so does anyone know the best way of doing so? I could build a little cairn outside a mine with a 'help yourself' sign? Would Oxfam be interested? Somehow I doubt it.

Maybe I should just give it all to T pot and he can fling it all into the Cavendish Mill crusher :-[

Maybe contact the Russell Society they often hand pieces out of such material for education. Probably can google the secretary Nothing need be wasted, its having the will to ensure it is reused and appreciated 🙂

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#45

You could build yourself a nice 'Spar Box'

lipsi
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#46

Not sure what posting a link to ebay mineral lists achieved. After all they are on ebay because somebody has collected them to start with. And presumably, to make money. Doesn't this then encourage others to collect on a commercial scale if they see others making money.
I worked for Dowtys in my younger days. I remember Chambishi copper mine had a road to the mine made almost entirely out of amethyst that was so plentiful, it was used as hardcore. That got me interested in the beauty of minerals, which led me onto old mines, which led me to where I am today, almost entirely in love with mine research, and the preservation of our heritage through photography, before it is trashed by others in the name of progress.

I owe my 25 plus years of research to that initial fascination.

Where there's a mine or a hole in the ground.
That's where I'm heading for that's where I'm bound
So follow me down Cousin Jack
(Grateful thanks to Show of Hands)

silver
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#47

Its good for both sides of the divide to be able to express their points of view. As for raping sites etc the days of abundant minerals to be collected are long gone. Your'e lucky nowadays if you can find one or two really good bits and so the rest you leave for less demanding collectors. The minerals would be destroyed anyway by natural degradation once a cavity is opened. Collectors are merely custodians for preservation.:)

Roy Morton
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#48

"rufenig" wrote:
What about the story, rumor, whatever of a mineral collector dynamiting the entrance to South Terras to stop anyone getting more specimens?

Rumours were it was blown in, but it was actually a large fall in a particularly weak section of ground. There were some nice samples in the waste once upon a time.

"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#49

"lipsi" wrote:
.
I worked for Dowtys in my younger days. I remember Chambishi copper mine had a road to the mine made almost entirely out of amethyst that was so plentiful, it was used as hardcore.

:o I imagine amethyst must be much more valuable/tonne than copper if seaside gift shops are anything to go by!

Jim MacPherson
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#50

"pwhole" wrote:
I've got a cardboard box full of mineral samples that I've picked up over the years from various mines - about 3kg of galena, in various sized chunks, shitloads of fluorite, baryte and calcite in all their forms (all worthless), toadstone, slag and a few bits of 'unspecified' stuff, all also worthless. And a huge piece of vein that weighs about 10kg on its own, and is a great doorstop (and conversation stopper).

Eventually I'll have to dispose of all this crap, so does anyone know the best way of doing so? I could build a little cairn outside a mine with a 'help yourself' sign? Would Oxfam be interested? Somehow I doubt it.

Maybe I should just give it all to T pot and he can fling it all into the Cavendish Mill crusher :-[

We gave our parents' hoard, build up over 30 years of rummaging and walloping, to Killhope Museum, they seemed quite happy as many of the better examples were specific to mines/veins in the North Pennines and the general bits and pieces were of use to their education programmes. With luck other people will be getting something from the collection in another 30 years :angel:

We did keep some "pretty" bits for ourselves.

Mike1984
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

9 years ago

#51

There is always someone who would appreciate them ans could help some one start there collection??