My introduction to the world of minerals

Site owner: My introduction to mineral collecting

Mineral collecting has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My introduction came through my father, who in his youth collected and had a deep interest in geology — he spent several years working on the gold mines, and when I was a child had a trailer full of minerals that he unpacked over a weekend. The bug bit; I was hooked, and the very next weekend we were driving around trying to find the Cape Town Gem and Mineral Club.

He got involved again also, and collecting sort of became our thing — I remember those early days at the club trading specimens out of old beer flats. He went further and developed a website, becoming one of the best sources of good specimens for local collectors, leading the club for a few years, organizing many field trips, and even a memorable Gemboree. Hats off to you, dad!

Some of my early memories are of numerous field trips to the Northern Cape – specifically for Orange River quartz and Riemvasmaak fluorite. This was during the heyday of Orange River quartz – specimens were coming out by the bakkie load, of extremely high quality and impressive size, nothing like what we see today.

We would often go over the Easter break, or thereabouts — more or less when dad could get leave, and of course also school holidays in South Africa — driving up from Cape Town, spending the night in the Springbok campsite, stocking up on essentials (beer and biltong), and then following what was at the time a well established routine. We looped through many of the small towns and settlements (Pella, Witbank, and Goodhouse to name a few), either purchasing directly from local miners or digging ourselves when the chance arose, often stopping to check any quartz occurrence spotted along the road.

Specimens were abundant then — the bakkie would be packed, often to the point where another crystal simply couldn’t fit without throwing something else out.

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Source area of the famous red "Pella quartz"

Towards the end of that period, and when I was a bit older (between 13 and 15), my father began organizing and leading trips for international clients. I remember these fondly – The same loops through the Northern Cape, taking groups of Swedes and Norwegians out for their first taste of “wild camping.”

We stayed in kloofs near the quartz localities, and I’ll never forget their amazement at the price of wine in South Africa. In Springbok they inevitably bought the cheapest, vinegar tasting bottles and marvelled at the low cost- And at the memorable headache the next day.

Digging for quartz in the Vredendal quarry - CT Club trip

Another spot we often visited (with the Cape Town Gem and Mineral Club) was a limestone quarry near Vredendal in the Western Cape. The main feature of the site was clay bands running through the limestone, which contained quartz — sometimes shot through with rutile, occasionally associated with feldspar (adularia), and often quite large.

The Vredendal quarry was really a family adventure. My brother joined in digging (he was responsible for the only amethyst find there!), my mother oversaw our “operation,” and my father had a reputation for uncovering the best crystals. He was often roped into showing newcomers around or leading trips.

Minerals from the Tsumeb mine became my first serious collecting interest. I would crawl through flats of rocks at local sell days, often finding specimens on Maurice’s table — he had material from a well known Tsumeb aficionado at the time. My interest in Tsumeb aligned perfectly with my geology studies, which I had recently started; I even prepared thin sections from old core samples I managed to acquire while at Uni!

The fascination with Tsumeb has stayed with me, though I occasionally also acquire specimens from South Africa, especially the Kalahari Manganese Fields. During my student years, I sometimes accompanied my father to Kimberley to visit Dr. Von Bezing, purchasing new finds or “exploring his garage.” At one point we drove back to Cape Town with nearly a trailer full of N’Chwaning II barites!

My first “real” job also involved minerals — or more precisely, rocks. I ran a sample preparation lab, learning the ins and outs of petrography and thin section preparation, building on the lapidary basics I already had, and time spent fooling around in a similar lab as a student (Sphere making and faceting always eluded me, but I could cut and polish a rock).

During this time I attended the Munich show (Got to see the Alma Rose!). Spending time with Paul Balayer there deepened my interest in N’Chwaning and broadened my view of Namibian localities like Erongo and Kaokoveld – An interest initially inspired by the late Ken Coleman.

I was at a bit of a loose end, having finished school and taking a “gap” before university, intending to work (that didn’t quite pan out). Ken invited me to join him on a tour through Namibia — part of his planning for a future FOSAGAMS (Voluntary governing body, only the Pretoria, Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg clubs are part of it) trip.

We drove up from the Cape in a single run to Windhoek (about 1,500 km) to visit the Ministry of Mines and get a “permit” to purchase minerals. From there we headed down to Rosh Pinah, where we had the kind of luck collectors dream about.

This was in 2009, if that gives you, the reader, any hints. Although not mentioned in the official write ups of the famous 2009 Rosh Pinah albite find, I can add a few facts: Ken and I were in the mine when the pocket was hit – And had a go at collecting from it.

It was tough going — we were allowed to take out what we could carry (the significance wasn’t yet recognized, and Albert wasn’t in attendance).

Shattuckite under quartz - 2009 specimen, ex Ken Coleman

We used Leathermans, rocks, whatever tools we had to free the best plates, stashing them wherever we could – armpits included, to carry them out from the mine. The next day we bought up more from locals in town, before beating a hasty retreat to Swakop.

Imagine my shock over ten years later, reading Albert’s account that only a few specimens came out and that it was the best albite find from the mine. Ken and I were there first (by luck!), and we knew how much material had been recovered. Very interesting, indeed!

We spent Christmas of that trip in Omaruru, playing pool with retired mine staff — a very special evening — and New Year’s on the beach. As a side note, I also got my first speeding fine on that trip, which my mother gleefully reminded me about at the first opportunity.

In more recent times, I spent quite a bit of time in the town of Aggeneys, often involved with student field trips. We tried to teach them a bit about rocks — hopefully some of it stuck. I would often go up “before the crowd” to prepare the campsite. On one of those trips, I found myself at a loose end, having a beer with some of the mine staff at the local rec club. One thing led to another, and the next day I was underground prying loose a brick or ten from the “jewellery stope.”

Siderite after calcite epimorph, Aggeneys, South Africa

That stope produced the only significant mineral find from Black Rock: siderite after calcite epimorphs. I managed to self collect a small specimen, and in later years purchased a few larger ones. Having been to the stope myself, I maintain a special interest in these and acquire them whenever I can.

Perhaps the most important find I ever witnessed was the phenakite discovery at Noumas II (Blesberg), a pegmatite extensively mined in the Northern Cape. Once again, my father — together with a close family friend, Antonio — made the find, in beryl replacement cavities along the contact with the pegmatite core.

In later years I realized the crystals were associated with fluorapatite as well, and I’m glad I kept some “matrix” specimens showing this association, along with albite. The largest single crystal resides in my father’s collection. I don’t believe the Noumas find is extensively documented, and I doubt much remains. Since then, the site has seen further activity, the pegmatite core has been mined out, and ongoing exploration now targets lithium in an extension along strike.

My collecting focus nowadays is primarily on small (perky sized) specimens, although high quality larger specimens will always catch my attention – Specifically from Erongo, the Kalahari Manganese Fields and of course Tsumeb. There is a brewing interest in Palaborwa (both specimens and geology), Artonvilla (Ajoite, when I can get it) and mantle xenoliths – Especially from the old Rovic (Roberts Victor) mine.

Site owner: My introduction to mineral collecting

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