Colorado Rare Earth Minerals |
Colorado Rare Earth Minerals |
Jul 31 2015, 08:14 AM
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#31
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Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,187 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4 |
Great information and pictures Dave!! Looks like your onto some really cool stuff. You definitely have the eye/nose for the good stuff in the dirt. Keep up the good work!
-------------------- Education is the key to the future,
and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥ |
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Mar 23 2017, 12:41 PM
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#32
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Shovel Buster! Group: Members Posts: 171 Joined: 19-October 14 From: Denver Member No.: 118,315 |
I would like to make an update about the Xenotime crystal at the top of this post. After getting an X-ray refraction test at the Geology Museum, even the "experts" are having a tough time to identify this crystal.
It has the crystal structure of a Xenotime-(Y). And has the elements needed for that. But it also contains Thorium and abnormally high amounts of Cerium, Gadolinium, and Neodymium. Causing the "experts" to think that it may have various mixes of Monazite in it, or that it is mostly Monazite. But they admitted that even with the chemical data, they can't say for sure. But everyone agrees that it is a very rare, and an interesting find! The crystal (whatever it really is) will be displayed at the Geology Museum for the next year (in the rare-earth or Pike's Peak mineral display) at the Colorado School of Mines. I'm gonna go see it, and get some more pics of the crystal, and a pic of the chemical readout for ya'll. -------------------- Thankful member of COLORADO PROSPECTOR CLUB
Level 2 Joined Oct. 19th 2014 (pay member since Apr. 1st 2015) Referral code: DS531 "Like a fine gemstone, the mind is more beautiful when it is open and free to receive the light." - (Dave's ramblings 52 : 80 ) |
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Mar 23 2017, 12:58 PM
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#33
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Rock Bar! Group: Members Posts: 875 Joined: 25-July 14 From: Westminster, CO Member No.: 117,949 |
I would like to make an update about the Xenotime crystal at the top of this post. After getting an X-ray refraction test at the Geology Museum, even the "experts" are having a tough time to identify this crystal. It has the crystal structure of a Xenotime-(Y). And has the elements needed for that. But it also contains Thorium and abnormally high amounts of Cerium, Gadolinium, and Neodymium. Causing the "experts" to think that it may have various mixes of Monazite in it, or that it is mostly Monazite. But they admitted that even with the chemical data, they can't say for sure. But everyone agrees that it is a very rare, and an interesting find! The crystal (whatever it really is) will be displayed at the Geology Museum for the next year (in the rare-earth or Pike's Peak mineral display) at the Colorado School of Mines. I'm gonna go see it, and get some more pics of the crystal, and a pic of the chemical readout for ya'll. Very cool and congrats! That's an awesome museum. I was just there a couple weeks ago. -------------------- Lifetime Member
opera non verba "All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer." ~Niccolò Machiavelli Ref Code: EM448 |
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Mar 23 2017, 01:15 PM
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#34
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Rock Bar! Group: Members Posts: 563 Joined: 13-June 15 From: South of Gunnison in Gold Basin, Saguache County Member No.: 120,659 |
Wow awesome find.
Is there a way you can use a detector or Geiger counter to find more of that? That's not a crystal you'd want to clean off in your mouth! Very cool. -------------------- Level 2 member -12/25/16
Referral code JL697 |
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Mar 24 2017, 08:55 AM
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#35
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Shovel Buster! Group: Members Posts: 171 Joined: 19-October 14 From: Denver Member No.: 118,315 |
Wow awesome find. Is there a way you can use a detector or Geiger counter to find more of that? That's not a crystal you'd want to clean off in your mouth! Very cool. Thank you Johnny, Yeah, you would'nt want to clean anything at my brothers claim with your mouth. Lots of weird mineral deposits and elements. I don't think a metal detector would work very well.(Mikes gold bug 2 does not even pick up the Hematite, or Goethite, both iron minerals.) A Geiger counter might work, but most regular Xenotime has very low radiation. This one is an exeption, because of the Cesium and Thoruim content. Here is a pic of the X-ray refraction results: -------------------- Thankful member of COLORADO PROSPECTOR CLUB
Level 2 Joined Oct. 19th 2014 (pay member since Apr. 1st 2015) Referral code: DS531 "Like a fine gemstone, the mind is more beautiful when it is open and free to receive the light." - (Dave's ramblings 52 : 80 ) |
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Mar 24 2017, 02:27 PM
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#36
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Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 4,149 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 3 |
Very cool Dave, that is very interesting, what a sweet specimen!
-------------------- CP-Owner/Administrator
www.ColoradoProspector.com IF YOU USE IT, THE GROUND PRODUCED IT! MINERS MAKE "IT" HAPPEN!! |
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Mar 27 2017, 11:01 AM
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#37
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Shovel Buster! Group: Members Posts: 171 Joined: 19-October 14 From: Denver Member No.: 118,315 |
Sorry, in my last post I said Cesium, but the element (Ce) is Cerium. Oops!
-------------------- Thankful member of COLORADO PROSPECTOR CLUB
Level 2 Joined Oct. 19th 2014 (pay member since Apr. 1st 2015) Referral code: DS531 "Like a fine gemstone, the mind is more beautiful when it is open and free to receive the light." - (Dave's ramblings 52 : 80 ) |
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