A stroll around the Fossil Show at the Hotel Tucson City Center was very interesting. The crowds were light and I had time to chat with Vendors. I saw a couple rocks I was not familiar with and found a hidden Mammoth.

My one last item on my list was Catseye Jade. I saw some Catseye Jade at the Pueblo show at what I thought was too much. Today I found this unusual Nephrite at one of the Russian Vendors for 1/5th the cost. This jade has a catseye effect when cut properly and moved back and forth. The jade is mined in Siberia.

The same Russian I bought the Jade from also had a tray of the prettiest worthless (my opinion) mineral I know of. Orpiment is an Arsenic Sulfide Material; doesn’t that sound tasty? It is worthless as a lapidary material. It is soft plus very poisonous. It is pretty, shiny, and golden, probably from Sulfur (making it even tastier). I can see leaving this candy looking mineral around the house-NOT! It degrades in natural light, producing a white powdery surface.

I wandered into the show in a permanent building next to the Hotel Tucson CC. I looked out a side door, and surprise; A hidden Mastodon, proving large items can be hidden in plain view.

I found more Staurolites that I liked, and collected a few.

I spoke to the owner of Aradon Pty Ltd. I saw some new material similar to Sonoran Sunset, but slightly different. It is a Malachite/Cuprite/Chrysocolla mixture with Drusy Quartz over Chrysocolla pockets. The Mineralogical interest is extensive. Not all the Copper has been altered to Cuprite. I may go back and acquire a piece. Although it resembles Sonoran Sunset, the Cuprite was brighter red, the light blue and dark blue/green Chrysocolla proved this is different. Neat stuff! It comes from an open pit copper mine in western Australia. The name that they call this rock is “DeGrussa”. I was told there is about a 5 year supply. I expect this may be the new hot material next year in Tucson.

Enjoy the pictures. We never know what tomorrow will bring.