Introduction Barite (barium sulphate) is a fairly common heavy mineral that often occurs in Pb-Zn ore deposits as a gangue mineral, in sedimentary deposits, and rarely in basalts. When found in sufficient quantity, it is mined for it’s barium content. It occurs either in crystalline form, as tabular, prismatic, or...
Featured image: Calcite, Avebury Mine The full text and photos of the minerals from Avebury can be found in Issue 2 of the Australian and New Zealand Mineral Collector magazine. The Avebury area is located approximately 8 km west of Zeehan in western Tasmania, where over the last few years, exploration...
The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, is famous for its world’s best crocoite. Adam Wright and his partners have been operating it for mineral specimen removal for a number of years and have had significant finds in recent years. In particular, the 2010 Pocket, and more recently, the Red River Pocket....
Here are a few external articles on South Australian deposits… Featured image: Old wagon on the edge of the track between Plumbago and Billeroo. Trevor Dart photo. The Billeroo Davidite Deposit, Trevor Dart The Puttapa Zinc Mine, Mark Cole Xenotime Occurrences in the Olary District of South Australia, Trevor Dart
By Eric L Stevens and Steve Sorrell (photos by Steve Sorrell unless otherwise noted) Updated and revised from an article originally published in the Australian and New Zealand Mineral Collector Magazine issue 6, 2008. Featured image: Calcite, Biggenden, Queensland. 4mm FoV. Location The mine is situated 8km WSW of the township...
By Eric von Werstak Feature image: F-6 Freeway at Mount Brown looking north where the vughs appeared. Introduction Mount Brown is situated near Dapto in the Illawarra District of the South Coast of New South Wales. It comprises of sandstones of volcanic derivation and lavas of the Berkeley Volcanics. The rocks crop...
The Elura mine (now known as the Endeavour Mine) near Cobar, New South Wales, was well-known in particular for its native silver and mimetite specimens. This 278 page thesis by Gernot Loidl, is a comprehensive work, looking the regional geology, the characteristics of the Elura orebody, the ore mineralogy and more. Featured...
Broken Hill based Trevor Dart has written a few articles on localities in his region. These include the following ones on Mindat: Rutile in the Broken Hill District, Trevor Dart The Huonville Sphene Pit, Trevor Dart The Often Overlooked Broken Hill Gahnites, Trevor Dart Featured image: The Huonville Sphene Pit. Members...
The late Margaret and Keith Brown of Echuca had many trips through New South Wales and Queensland, collecting minerals themselves, or swapping/purchasing with other mineral collectors. This post highlights specimens from their collection from lesser known localities in New South Wales. Featured image: Apophyllite, Oak Flats, New South Wales BoggabriAn area...
