Welcome to the 2001 Sainte-Marie aux Mines Show!
 
 

 

Mt Blanc - Elevation 4,807 Meters

Chamonix- Mont Blanc

As I mentioned in the report one of the places that we went to prior to the Saint-Marie Show was Chamonix, France.  If you have never been here it can best be described using the word: breath-taking.   It is a place of spectacular scenery with mountain peaks rising up over 12,500 feet above the valley floor.   The largest peak in the area is Mont Blanc which rises to an elevation of 4,807 meters or over 15,600 feet!   It is on the border with France and Italy.  Glaciers are found all over the many peaks - both hanging and valley gouging types.   To me I am reminded of the southeast of Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, and Grand Tetons all at once.  It is not an exaggeration at all to say that this place has only two directions: up and down!

This locale is also known for its remarkable specimens of smoky quartz with or without red to pink colored fluorite.  It is considered one of the classic European localities for minerals.   Many other minerals besides the better know quartz and fluorite are found at various localities in the immediate area but I decided to focus the hunt on fluorite only for this trip.
 
 

These are just two from the over 30 specimens that I found at the show.  The one on the
left is further down this page and the other is on Chamonix page 2.

While here I made it a goal to try and locate specimens for the Trinity Mineral Company website upon my return from this European trip.  I visited the one rock shop in Chamonix and though there were several specimens of quartz from the region there there was not a piece of pink to be found.  I asked many people if they knew of any that might be for sale and was met with the same response more or less:  when specimens are recovered they leave the area quickly - usually bound for the United States where they command high prices... "Great", I said to myself...

Each year around early to mid-July several experienced collectors who are also experienced climbers set out for various locations near Argentierre (no one will say exactly where for fear of being scooped by the competition but it is to the east of town) to see what the freeze/thaw has exposed or what was left uncollected from last year.   It is not uncommon for people to collect specimens hanging from ropes or clinging to ledges with one hand and food and digging with the other hand.   In the literal sense each specimen that is found is won from the mountain.   Every rock is hand carried down some of the most harrowing trails that most of us can only imagine.  Specimens are not guaranteed each year so it was a little disheartening to make it to Chamonix from California and find that none were to be had.
 
 

SORRY! SOLD OUT Also, I have obtained 8 copies of the special Chamonix issue produced by le Regne Mineral.  This publication is the French equivalent of the Mineralogical Record.  It is written entirely in French but contains many superior pictures of specimens and the mountains where the specimens come from.  There are also a number of maps - both geological and geographical that are deciferable in any language.  These are $20.00 plus $5 s/h for domestic or $7.50 for s/h for foreign requests. SORRY! SOLD OUT

Needless to say I was quite pleased to be at the Sainte-Marie Show and find some specimens available from there.  I asked many people there if they had any and in two cases my name was passed on to people who did have them.   So it is my pleasure to be able to offer this array of specimens from Chamonix that were all obtained at the 2001 Sainte-Marie aux Mines Show.
 
 
 

These photos explain why I will return to this area of spectacular scenery.

Cluster of rose pink octahedral fluorite crystals to 0.8 cm across rest atop this specimen as well as a few scattered about.  There are some very fine wedge shaped adularia crystals present also to 1 cm.   They can be seen on the far right of the specimen.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com
 

PF13 - $85.00 
Fluorite on Granite
2.8 x 1.6 x 1.6 cm
Argentiere Massif
Mont Blanc, Chamonix
France

A fine thumbnail specimen of sharp, rose pink, octahedral fluorite crystals on granite matrix.  The largest crystal is 0.7 cm across.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

PF16 - $100.00 
Smoky Quartz & Fluorite on Granite
4 x 3 x 2 cm
Argentiere Massif
Mont Blanc, Chamonix
France

A 2.2 cm smoky quartz crystal is accompanied by a druse of reddish pink crystals of fluorite.  Interestingly, the fluorite has some purple color zones.  This is a very rare color from fluorite from this locality.  The crystals are octahedral with both dodecahedral and cubic modifications.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

This rock has about 40% coverage of 0.5 cm, octahedral crystals of rose pink fluorite.  Nice adularia crystals also as seen on the far left of the upper left hand photo.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

PF22 - $125.00 
Fluorite on Adularia
3.4 x 2.4 x 2.1 cm
Les Droites (3600 meters elevation)
Mont Blanc, Chamonix
France
 
 

Very sharply crystallized specimen of pink fluorite crystals to 1.1 cm across on adularia.  The fluorite is lightly coated with some chlorite but is 100% damage free.  There are also fine crystals of adularia to 0.7 cm in length.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

Attractive cluster of rose pink fluorite crystals on adularia.  The cluster is 1.7 cm in length.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

PF32 - $90.00 
Smoky Quartz & Fluorite
3.4 x 2 x 1.8 cm
Argentiere Massif
Mont Blanc, Chamonix
France

Doubly terminated crystal of smoky quartz with a cluster of rose pink fluorite crystals.  The largest fluorite is 0.7 cm across.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

Small partial smoky quartz crystal is covered with deep rose pink crystals of octahedral fluorite.  The largest crystal is 0.8 cm across.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

PF03 - $425.00 
Fluorite on Smoky Quartz
6.8 x 5 x 3 cm
Argentiere Massif
Mont Blanc, Chamonix
France
 

Cluster of rose pink octahedral fluorite crystals to 0.8 cm are perched on the side of this gemmy smoky quartz crystal.  The quartz has been lightly etched on one side but is very glassy on the other.  No damage to the crystal termination.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

Abundant rose pink octahedral fluorite crystals to 0.5 cm across literally cover the face of this rock!

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

Two clusters of octahedral fluorite with light chlorite surfaces coatings are found with several smoky quartz crystals.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

Aesthetic thumbnail specimen of 1 cm, lightly etched, red fluorite perched on smoky quartz.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

1.8 cm crystal of reddish pink fluorite with octahedral habit resting atop adularia matrix.  The crystal is free of any damage though it has a small dimple near the back.  It appears to be a solution cavity or place where it was in contact with the matrix.  Very clean thumbnail specimen!

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

Plate of rose pink octahedral fluorite with about 60% of the crystals heavily included with dark olive green chlorite.  The back side of the specimen consists of granite.

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John@TrinityMinerals.com

Superb specimen of a cluster of deep reddish pink fluorite crystals with octahedral habit.  The close up photos display the detail crystal faces present on the pyramids.   Only one crystal has a small ding and it is found on the backside of the specimen.  The color on this specimen is about as good as Chamonix can get.

Email to order
John@TrinityMinerals.com

Click here to see the 2000 Saint-Marie aux Mines show report The Official Sainte-Marie aux Mines Show Website