[Rockhounds] uninformed questions

[Andrew Turner]

The joke about that mineral was that it was known for many years, but was seldom crystallized.  When a few actual "crystals" (the mineral looks like a small teal ball with fibrous appearance) were found, the exact structure took a very long time to determine as it is very complicated.  For over a decade, collectors just used to call it "dumpite" as it was only found on the dumps (and from one mine).  IMA did approve eurekadumpite as a name as it was found on the Cent. Eureka dumps.  It has now been found from the Gold Chain and North Star mines as well.

Yes, and every time we find it, someone always shouts "Eureka....dumpite."

Andrew Turner

________________________________
From: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> on behalf of Tim Fisher <nospam at orerockon.com>
Sent: Friday, November 6, 2020 3:44 PM
To: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors' <rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com>
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] uninformed questions

EURAKADUMPITE! I found Eurekadumpite! Precious... :D

Tim Fisher
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Forerockon.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7C81556abb441a425ac81908d882adec4e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637403030809657174%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=fS%2BTBl4v1IpabYzi%2B%2BDiEu7QdpA6Rsbm2PRuTogEAzc%3D&reserved=0
Email nospam at orerockon.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com] On
Behalf Of Andrew Turner
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2020 3:08 PM
To: Rockhound List
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] uninformed questions

Dennis,

A lot to digest there, but I'll give it a try.

Yes, we "kind of" know where most things are geologically/mineralogically in
at least the US.  However, with much better technology, including gravity,
LiDAR, drilling techniques, etc. as well as becoming much more efficient in
being able to recover even small amounts of ore at cheaper costs, many of
the areas (and depths) once thought unprofitable are now possible.  So,
while we know where mineralization is and where massive ore deposits are for
the most part, we are still opening up new areas and exploration has greatly
increased.  The old timers did a great job finding the accessible stuff, so
exploration is started there to get the better and deeper material.

A good example of this is the Tintic District (and nearby East Tintic) in
UT.  This was the largest copper and gold district in the US and especially
UT for numerous decades and even during times when Kennecott was in
production.  The shafts got too deep (and hot, and the acidity was too high)
and got more unsafe.  The cost of mining got way too high and well above
what they were producing.  Fast forward many decades and this area is being
drilled for exploration non-stop.  Companies believe there might be multiple
porphyry copper deposits at depth (like 5000+ ft), but no one has found it
yet despite some very promising leads.  Mining is still going on here for
halloysite clay and materials (mostly dolomite) for the cement industry as
well as minor gold.  The East Tintic District has undergone 2 ownership
changes recently, but they restarted the Dragon Mine and are trying to
restart the Trixie and other underground operations as the gold is still
there.

Mineral specimen wise, it is a little different.  As new mines and areas
open up, the prospect of more mineral specimens does as well.  Mine
operators are getting much better in recognizing high quality mineral finds,
and often at least try to get some out even if it is for just workers to
collect.  This happened in Bingham, Utah with the large pyritohedrons that
they put into a large pile.

Most of the minerals now being found are from old mines and prospects where
there just wasn't an interest in the past.  Although massive large crystal
deposits are unlikely to be found in new areas (they still come out of known
districts and mines - see CA pegmatites, Red Cloud wulfenite, CO
rhodochrosite, UT topaz/red beryl), the number of new minerals has greatly
increased the past several years.

Couple of good examples - The deposits near Baker, CA have been known for a
long time.  Mineral collecting at the Blue Bell Mine has always been strong,
and you can still easily find nice linarite, caledonite, dioptase,
tsumebite, etc. with a little effort.  However, in the past 5-10 years,
several very rare minerals and even new minerals (native silver,
bluebellite, perite, murdochite, plumbophyllite, plumbotsumite, etc.) have
been found as new areas were explored and micro mineral collecting has
become more popular.  Nearby, the Otto Mountain area was found when Dr.
Housley was stuck in traffic and noticed an old adit in the hillside.  Fast
forward 20 years, and a whole bunch of very rare new tellurium minerals (and
others) have been found.

Tintic is another good example.  We've collected at the main mines that
still have tailings for some time.  However, some members of my club (when I
was out on a field project, long story) started to explore some of the more
extract old mines in the area.  They uncovered a small portion of a large,
mostly untouched, tailings pile that had boulders containing the best
eurekadumpite, raisite, and several other minerals ever found.  Several new
minerals have also been discovered there.  Although I haven't found the
incredibly rare stuff there, I have well over 100 eurekadumpite pieces now
and they are far better than the ones found from the nearby type locality
(Centennial Eureka Mine).

We were given permission to go underground in the old Hidden Treasure Mine
in Ophir, UT.  At about 1,000 ft depth, there is a small deposit of some
very rare cadmium minerals.  There is an amorphous blue mineral there, but I
was able to find the first crystallized specimen.  After multiple analyses,
including from the LA County Nat. History Museum, it was determined to be
royal blue ktenisite, but many of us still question that.

Hope this helps.  Thanks.

Andrew Turner
Mineral Collectors of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT

_______________________________________________
Rockhounds mailing list
Subscription Services:  https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockhounds.drizzle.com%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Frockhounds_rockhounds.drizzle.com&data=04%7C01%7C%7C81556abb441a425ac81908d882adec4e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637403030809667170%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=qoJpC2nZDVdsRCmS%2FwpQPQqsCstpUQ9F6067e9uPEwE%3D&reserved=0
List Usage Policy: https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftomaszewski.net%2FKreigh%2FRockhounds%2FRockhounds.shtml&data=04%7C01%7C%7C81556abb441a425ac81908d882adec4e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637403030809667170%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=hLiQCXi45uOR23qhBXUGQrZ0t%2F850YVTBN8XElk0pks%3D&reserved=0