SKLODOWSKITE
Musonoi Mine, near Kolwezi, Shaba Province, Zaire
The Musonoi Mine is famous for its world-class specimens of Sklodowskite, Cuprosklodowskite, Uraninite, and a host of other rare uranium-bearing minerals.  Sklodowskite is distinguished by its bright yellow to yellow-golden to greenish-yellow acicular crystals, usually forming compact aggregates or veins composed of parallel to divergent or fan-like intergrowths of needles.  It is also sometimes found in massive form.  In addition to the expected yellow-golden Sklodowskite, the chocolate brown, acicular to radially structured mini-veinlets shown in items MI-1578, 1579, 1580, and 1389 below are also Sklodowskite -- colored by iron oxide.  Sklodowskite is Mg(UO₂)₂Si₂O₇^.6H₂O.  Cuprosklodowskite is frequently found associated with the Sklodowskite and, in many instances, both minerals are present on the same specimen.  Cuprosklodowskite usually forms bright apple-green acicular needles – usually present as compact intergrowths, though on some of these specimens it is also present in massive form.  Dark green Malachite is sometimes associated as tiny veinlets within the matrix, and also present in massive form.  Item MI-1581 has massive selenium-rich Digenite (Se-Digenite) present on the back-base of the specimen, associated with rich amounts of massive, dark green Malachite.  For background information on Sklodowskite and Cuprosklodowskite, see the special Katanga issue of the "Mineralogical Record" magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4, July-Aug 1989, P. 265-288.  The Nov-Dec 2002 issue (Vol. 33, No. 6) of the "MR", P. 484-485 has current information on the status of mineral collecting at the Musonoi Mine, along with a photo of the now abandoned mine.   The gram weights of the Sklodowskite specimens are given solely as a measure of specimen size.  Specimens are not priced by the gram.

If you do not have a copy of the Katanga! special issue of the "Mineralogical Record" magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4, July-August 1989 in your reference library, we have copies available for purchase, priced at $20.00 plus shipping.  Order item MR20-4.

WEEKSITE 
Anderson Mine, Date Creek Basin, Yavapai County, Arizona
Weeksite is typically found at this locality as bright yellow-golden micro spherules, sometimes exhibiting a radiating structure, on light colored matrix.  This specimen is covered with more than 100 micro yellow-golden spherules of Weeksite of ~ 1 mm size, associated with colorless, crystallized Gypsum.  Weeksite is a hydrous potassium, sodium, uranium silicate.  UV fluorescence is yellow-green under both SW and LW, best under SW.
Specimen size:  3 3/8” X 2 1/8” across, X 1/2” thick
mR/hr @ 1”:  3.5
CPM @ 1”:    2,250
Order Item MI-1552
Price:   SOLD

THORITE Var. Uranothorite
Rosa No. 1 Trench, Mount Rosa, El Paso County, Colorado
From the Eugene B. Gross collection, the specimens below were collected sometime in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s. Uranothorite is present in brick red color, massive form.  This occurrence is listed in “Minerals of Colorado”, E. Eckel and the Friends of Mineralogy, 1997, P. 483.  Possible associated minerals include Thorogummite, Uraniferous Opal, Uranophane, and Hematite, also in massive form.  Radioactive!  The gram weights are given only as a measure of size – specimens are not sold by the gram.  Uranothorite is: (ThU)SiO₄

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NEW TITLE

“JACHYMOV”,  JOURNAL OF THE CZECH GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Edited by Dr. Stanislav Vrana, 11 5/8” X 8 1/4”,  in English, 230 pages, with numerous black & white, as well as color photos, crystal drawings, and SEM’s of the minerals, soft cover.  Your first question is probably…  why would we recommend a book covering such an obscure locality in Czechoslovakia??  Well, read on!  “Jachymov” is the result of years of hard scientific work, and it is the most comprehensive publication about the mines and minerals of the Jachymov Silver and Uranium district ever written.  Jachymov (known as Joachimsthal in old literature) gained world renown through important achievements and discoveries associated with mining and scientific activities during five centuries of exploitation of the ore deposits.  Most recently, the mines at Jachymov were the key producers of the uranium-bearing minerals used by the Russians during the cold war arms race with the USA.  On an historical note, for a part of the 16^th century, Jachymov ranked as the largest Silver producer in the world.  It was the Uraninite from Jachymov on which Maria Sklodowska (Madam Curie) first isolated and discovered two new elements – Polonium and Radium – in 1898.  More than 380 minerals have been identified from Jachymov to date, and the current studies will eventually bring this number up to over 400!  This in-depth report covers the geology of the Jachymov ore district, followed by 137 pages of mineral descriptions with many more than 100 color photos, SEM’s, and crystal drawings.   The next chapter covers the ore-forming processes and mineral parageneses of the Jachymov district.  The chapter on “Who was who in Jachymov mineralogy” presents historical information concerning the discovery of primary minerals first described from Jachymov.  The biographic information about important people after whom the minerals were named goes back to the 17^th century, and includes photographs or portraits of most of these important people. The final chapter covers the history of discovery and study of new primary minerals, and includes photographs of two old labels from mineral specimens recovered in the 1800’s, now in the National Museum of Prague.  Published by the Czech Geological Society, 2003, Prague, Czech Republic.

Shipping weight:  3 pounds
Order Item BK0353
Price:  $125.00