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The Georgia Mineral Society, Inc. 4138 Steve Reynolds Boulevard Norcross, GA 30093-3059 |
GMS Micromount Section Field Trip April 2024
If you have any questions about field trips send email toGMS Micromount Section Field Trip
Cacoxenite, Kidwellite, Wavellite, Strengite, etc. in Alabama
Saturday, April 26, 2024
Five GMS members including me set out on April 26 to collect phosphate microminerals in the historic Indian Mountain area. The site is part of a large iron-mining district that flourished from the Civil War era through the 1920s. We collected along a tall, overgrown mine dump next to trench-like mine pits. Among the minerals collected, I observed plenty of cacoxenite, and also kidwellite, wavellite, strengite, variscite and churchite. There will probably be more minerals identified as specimens are observed under a microscope. The highlight was a specimen found by 13-year-old Maddox. He found a goethite breccia with tiny pockets filled with colorful strengite and kidwellite. Around lunchtime everyone felt they had collected enough and the last of us left by 1:30.
Jose Santamaria, Micromount Section Co-Chair
e-mail:
Let's get cracking!
Photo by Jose Santamaria
Maddox holds a specimen filled with colorful phosphate microminerals.
Photo by Jose Santamaria
Strengite on kidwellite. 7.25 field of view. Maddox specimen
Photo by Jose Santamaria
Various vugs filled with green and yellow kidwellite. 6.4 field of view. Maddox specimen
Photo by Tom Bates
Sprays of wavellite coated with iron oxides. 10mm field of view. Tom Bates specimen and photograph.
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