April 2019 Program Information
April 2019 Program
We were treated to a “virtual field trip” to the famous Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, AZ by Mike and Karen Pabst. (Part of their 50th Anniversary Celebration – Congratulations!)Not only did we enjoy seeing fabulously beautiful minerals, but also some of the delicious food and wonderful accommodations in the area.
Mike worked in Denver, CO for a while, and they got to travel to Tucson many times before it got so famous.
There are many shows going on at the same time with many buildings to visit. Some sites require credentials to enter where gems worth thousands of dollars are sold or viewed.
Most sites do not allow photography, but Mike managed to get several vendors to allow him to take some shots. Karen noted that price labels were on some specimens, but POR (price on request) was common. (If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it!)
Mike is a micro-mineralogist at heart but was quite impressed with the size and quality of the macros.
Some examples were:
• An 8” tall azurite/malachite crystal for $13,000
• A 3 foot rose quartz sphere
• A cube of blue fluorite from Mineral Mine #1 in Hardin Co. IL for $45,000
• Calcite on fluorite from IL $25,000.
Many of the items were protected by security guards of course!
Mike added a few minerals to his collection – Jourauskite [SP? May be Jarosite?), Despujolsite, Augelite from Peru, and Sylvanite from the volcano in Fiji.
We’re happy for you and Karen and may your adventures continue. Thanks for sharing some photos!
Barite
Beryl (Aquamarine)
Cobaltoan Calcite Katanga Congo
Fluorite England
Wulfenite Dioptase Tiger
U of Arizona New Mineral Museum