Virtual Yellow Arrows

Mineral Matters #511

At least these ones can’t fall off!

I have been looking at a specimen labelled simply as Berlinite, Hålsjöberg, Torsby, Värmland, Sweden. After doing a bit of research, it is quite likely that I could have as many as eight species on the specimen! Very much an addition to my Hidden Collection!

The research included translating an article in Swedish by Fredrik Grensman (Grensman, Fredrik (1989) Hålsjöberg. NAGS-NYTT, 16 (3) 24-27) in which a number of minerals are described, helpfully with likely associations.

Of course, without analysis, I can’t be sure of the identification of some of the species, but I can list them with a “(?)” alongside.

The annotations on the photo below are the (fairly) new IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species.

So on the specimen I have, or may have: Black berlinite with light blue inclusions (burangaite?), white massive augelite and crystals, blue scorzalite, and colourless/grey/white albite(?) that is fluorescent red under shortwave UV, brown garnet(?), a small amount of moss green wicksite(?) and colourless quartz.

The abbreviations are: Berlinite (Ber), Augelite (Aul), Burangaite (Brg), Scorzalite (Scz), Albite (Ab), Garnet Group (Grt), Wicksite (Wic), Quartz (Qz).

Click on the image for a higher resolution version (without the annotations). Width of view 6mm.