October 30-November 2, 2009

This year I was not able to attend the Munich Show.  I have been a regular attendee of this show since 1998 and it was a tough choice (not really) to go to this show or spend two weeks in Hawaii.  Norwegian collector Dr. Knut Eldjarn graciously accepted an offer to generate a report on what he saw at the show.  I edited it a small amount to let the english flow a bit more smoothly.  I am very grateful to Knut for his effort here.  I fully expect to be back in Munich again in 2010.  Thanks again Knut!  John Veevaert

 
 
München Mineralientage 2009 - submitted by Dr. Knut Eldjarn


Overview of Hall A6 at the 2009 Munich Show.

In spite of the financial setback, this year`s Munich show had expanded into 4 large halls with a clear division between 2 halls of minerals and fossils and 2 halls of gemstones and a great variety of esoteric rock products and services. There was in general a large attendance at the show, but sales of minerals – especially in the high-end segment were clearly down from previous years.  The mood with many dealers can be illustrated by one of them exclaiming late on Saturday: “I need no more spectators – I need customers!”.
There were not many new and spectacular discoveries of minerals to report on, but with a keen eye and a broader perspective on collectible minerals, there were many interesting specimens that could be found with a little effort.

The most significant new item, from an aesthetic point of view, may be a find of less than 5 specimens of sparkling, deep blue and gemmy crystals of  Lazurite or Sodalite (they had not been analyzed) to nearly 1 cm on white matrix with small pyrites from the Kokcha valley in Afghanistan offered by Andreas Weerth. The best small cabinet sized specimen pictured here was sold very swiftly to a private collector after a major museum had tried to raise funds to purchase it.


The new gem mineral (Sodalite or Lazurite) from Afghanistan

The French mineralogist and dealer Pierre Clavel offered a large stash of chevkinite crystals to 7 cm also in groups and on a matrix of Albite crystals from the famous find at Jugnot, Tanguir valley, Daimir district of Northern Pakistan.  These specimens were not from a new find but were examples from the original find made back in the 2000 and first brought to market by Umberto Rhiggi. The locality was said to have been discovered a few years earlier by a team of prospectors from a mining company that mined a few hundred kg of specimens and ore which had been stored at the laboratory of the mining company ever since.  Pierre Clavel had been able to purchase the specimens that were suitable for collectors.   They included a 40 cm aggregate of large crystals that was sold to a museum and numerous other single crystals and groups that sold briskly.  The Pakistani Chevkinites are vastly superior to any other finds including the small mostly embedded crystals from the type locality in the Urals.  It is unlikely that more chevkinite specimens will be mined from this locality in the future.


Large cabinet specimen of Chevkinite on albite from Pakistan.

Many dealers offered specimens of dark blue Aquamarine crystals to nearly 10 cm in very aesthetic groups with black tourmaline crystals from the productive digs in the Erongo Mountains of Namibia.  There was a large selection available with a few bargains if one looked.
 



A large cabinet specimen of aquamarite and schorl from the Erongo Mts., Namibia.


Fluorite from the Oujela Mine and demantoid from Madagascar

The mines at Panasquiera in Portugal are still active and the Spanish dealer Luis Burillo had a number of newly mined specimens including black Ferberites sprinkled with golden pyrites crystals and also green apatites and arsenopyrites. The same dealer had a number of specimens from the Ojuela mine in Mapimi, Durango, Mexico said to have been found in July of this year. They included specimens of lovely transparent purple Fluorites (see above photo) to 2 cm, Rosasite, Hemimorphites and Wulfenite.  Fluorite specimens have been coming out of this mine regularly since January as many were seen at the Tucson, Springfield and Denver Show this year also. 


Hemimorphite from the Oujela Mine


Apatite and Ferberite from Panasqueira, Portugal.

The new green Andradites ( var. “demantoid”) from Madagascar in crystals to about 1 cm on matrix were offered by many dealers.  These were first seen at the Ste Marie Show and subsequently at the Denver Show this year.  (see photo above).

There were as usual many Chinese dealers mostly offering specimens from well-known localities. There were many aesthetic specimens of Calcites including groups of golden yellow crystals on dark matrix from Hubei. One dealer had very affordable specimens of Babingtonite crystals to about 3 cm on Prehnite crystals and most were sold before the show officially opened. With luck and persistence it is possible to find exceptional specimens of unusual minerals from China.  I saw a cabinet sized specimen with sharp, yellow crystals to 1.2 cm of the rare Beryllium-bearing zeolite mineral Hsianghualite which may represent one of the world`s best specimens of this mineral. There was also a good selection of purplish Spinel crystals to more than 10 cm said to come from southern China close to the border to Burma. 


Large spinel from China with crystals to 10 cm across.


Large crystals of Hsianghualite from China.
 


A display of emerald crystals from the new find in Zambia in the Kristalle and Crystal Classics booth.

The theme of this year`s exhibition were minerals of India, mainly zeolites from the Deccan basalt with a number of large and showy specimens on display.  In the displays was a stunning 10 kg deep blue gemmy aquamarine from the Tamil Nadu region.  There were many dealers and collectors offering rare minerals and their sales seemed to be less affected by the financial crisis than the sales of expensive trophy specimens.   White Sassolin (boric acid) crystals and other rarities, from fumaroles on the island volcano near Sicily, were offered by the Russian dealer Michael Muraschko. The German collector and dealer Peter Kolesar had a selection of excellent specimens with yellow crystals to 2 mm of Schoenfliesite from Jachymow, Czech Republic and German minerals offered amongst others colorful specimens of Uzonite, Alacranite and Realgar from Lazaresti in Romania.


Special display of Indian specimens.


Apophyllite in Mesolite from India.


Schoenflisite crystals on matrix from the Czech Republic.


One of the lucky patrons at the show getting a massage.

The Munich show is still the major mineral show in Europe.  This was my 31st visit to this show having visited every year since 1978. After a steady expansion during the 1980`s and 1990`s it is clear that also this show may have passed the peak where new finds of exceptional minerals are concerned. But the huge increase in gem dealers and merchants offering everything from mineral extracts to mineral massage may indicate a new major trend for the show. Just like the fine arts market, the market for high-end trophy specimens of minerals have been severely hit by the financial crisis and we may see the start of a price adjustment for certain segments of the market. But the really exceptional specimens – the best of the best - will always find a customer. This year the sale of gold specimens was quite strong perhaps reflecting a decrease in the faith of our paper money.  There are still hundreds of true collectors searching among the wider range of collectible minerals for new additions to their collections, and in Munich there are always many kinds of minerals to be found in all price ranges.


A fine specimen of apophyllite obtained by Knut at the show.

Knut Eldjarn

 

Past Shows & Reports
PLEASE NOTE: The minerals that were offered on these pages are all sold
1999
Munich Show
2000
Sainte Marie Show
Munich Show
2001
Sainte Marie Show
Munich Show
2002
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2003
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2004
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2005
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2006
Tucson Show
Bologna Show
Sainte Marie Show
East Coast Show
Munich Show
2007
Tucson Show
Dallas Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2008
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show
2009
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2010
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show

Munich Show

2011
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2012
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show 
Munich Show

2013
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
Crystal Days (Poland)
Munich Show  

 

 
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