Orpiment

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.

An example of Catseye Jade, mixed with Moonstone, and Topaz Pendant. This shows the amazing flash of this Russian Jade. (Sold, but I just bought more material!)

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.

They hid this giant in plain view

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.

A Mineralogical Wonder-DeGrussa

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.

Wood Furniture

The back yard of the Hotel Tucson City Center.

Your Whimsy of the day. Little shell Bobbleheads. Cute!

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