Doug Merson @Micromineral@qoto.org
Mineral collector for past 70 years. Served 21 years in United States Navy and 20 years at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Wife and I plus 3 granddaughters are llama owners.
Joined Nov 2022
Doug Merson
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My daughter, who has had a degree in computer science for 25 years, posted this observation about ChatGPT on Facebook. It's the best description I've seen:
Doug Merson
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Doug Merson
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A mighty fallen #ThickTrunkTuesday at UVM's East Woods Natural Area. Most trees in the area lie where they fell, but this one was sawn to provide passage for trail users. I like that we can see the scar where two trunks grew together.
Saturday was a llama kind of day as we got together with family and friends to work with our llamas on obstacles, The day alternated between sun and rain.
Datolite, CaB(SiO4)(OH) - white crystals
Fluorite, CaF2 - blue crystal
UK39, a member of the hellandite group - the spray of cystals on corner of fluorite
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 4.0 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Cordylite-(Ce), (Na,Ca, )BaCe2(CO3)4(F,O)
Yellow crystal associated with quartz.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 4.0 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Chabazite-Na, (Na3K)[Al4Si8O24]·11H2O
Mass of thin plates of chabazite.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.5 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Celestine, Sr(SO4)
Mass of tiny white celestine crystals at center.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.2 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Catapleiite, Na2Zr(Si3O9)·2H2O
Colorless catapleiite with dark green aegirine.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.6 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Doug Merson
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Shiny and elusive, featherlight and golden-brown. How would you describe Pele’s hairs? But don’t be fooled. These are strands of volcanic glass & can pose a serious hazard. #HVO #VolcanoWatch: usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/n…
Carletonite, KNa4Ca4Si8O18(CO3)4(F,OH)·H2O
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.7 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Doug Merson
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Interesting #geology I just learned about along the Salt Lake/Utah County line (and further east toward like Park City) with the remains of stratovolcanoes near Heber City.
https://geology.utah.gov/map-pub/survey-notes/wasatch-volcanoes/
•Cancrisilite, Na7(Si7Al5)O24(CO3)·3H2O
Was cancrinite until cancrisilite was described.
Per communication from László Horvath on 6 June 2007, the only cancrinite at MSH is the yellow. The colorless and pale mauve have been shown to be cancrisilite. Analysis by XRD, EMPA, and IR.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.9 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Doug Merson
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A particularly fine specimen of fluorite, made up of several crystals. One of my favorite minerals!
Locality: Bergmännisch Glück Mine, Frohnau, Annaberg-Buchholz, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Size: 3 × 4.1 × 3.2 cm (1.2 x 1.6 x 2.3 in.)
Photo: © Wittig-Minerals /e-rocks. com
H/T: www.geologypage.com
Burbankite, (Na,Ca)3(Sr,Ba,Ce)3(CO3)5
Yellowish hexagonal prisn of burbankite. The acicular crystals at upper left are aegirine.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.0 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Brookite, TiO2
Cluster of several black brookite crystals.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.1 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Birnessite, (Na,Ca,K)0.6(Mn4+,Mn3+)2O4·1.5H2O
Ranciéite, (Ca,Mn2+)0.2(Mn4+,Mn3+)O2·0.6H2O
Originally described as birnessite, new research showed to be a mixture with ranciéite.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 4.0 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Annite, KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.6 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Berthierine, (Fe2+,Fe3+,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4
Ancylite-(Ce), CeSr(CO3)2(OH)·H2O
Two hexagonal pale green berthierine crystals plus 2 cololess ancylite-*Ce)_ crystals.
Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.6 mm
#minerals #mineralogy #mineralcollecting #crystals #Geology #earthsciences #mineral collecting
Doug Merson
boosted
A very good explanation of the Volcanic Explosivity Index, the tool that volcanologists and other scientists use to measure and compare explosive volcanic eruptions.
#volcanoes #eruptions #measurement #VolcanicExplosivityIndex #geology
Mineral collector for past 70 years. Served 21 years in United States Navy and 20 years at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Wife and I plus 3 granddaughters are llama owners.
Joined Nov 2022
