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Rogerley Mine Specimens For Sale |
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Rogerley Mine Specimens For Sale |
Page Updated May 1, 2008
The following is a small selection of specimens currently available for sale. I have chosen a selection of specimens that represents the major pockets we have encountered to date, including the most major pockets encountered to date. They are arranged by pocket along with a brief description of each pocket. The scale coin with all specimens is a British 2 Pence, 2.6 cm (1 inch) across, about the size of a US quarter. I have tried to get the color balance of these specimens as close to natural as possible, but fluorite is notoriously difficult to photograph properly. Color balance can also vary between different computer monitors. If anything, they will probably look even better in the flesh. They've promised me so.
We have many other specimens in inventory, including both retail pieces and wholesale flats in all size and price ranges, and would be happy to send additional photos if you don't see something here that you like. If you have specific requirements, please inquire. Before ordering, please see our terms and conditions on the "Ordering" page.
West Cross-Cut
The West Cross-Cut was started as an exploratory tunnel westward from the main tunnel just opposite the Black Sheep Pocket in August 2001, and has since proven to be our most productive area in the mine. Some very good fluorite specimens were first found here toward the end of the 2001 mining season, including clusters of lustrous, gemmy, twinned, deep green fluorite crystals to 2.5 cm, associated with corroded galena octahedra, on an iron-rich limestone matrix.
A second drift was driven westward from the main tunnel approximately 10 meters north of the first West Cross Cut in July 2002. Excellent quality fluorite specimens were found almost immediately confirming the presence of metasomatic flats on the west side of the vein in addition to those previously discovered to the east. Excavations while collecting specimens joined the two West Cross Cut drifts in a loop during August, 2002. This area was worked again through the summer of 2003 and yielded some excellent specimens.
During 2004 a northward extension, known as the Corner Pocket produced some markedly different specimens, most of which had a partial overcoating of fine-grained white crystalline quartz. A number of fluorite-covered stalactites were found here - the first since our original workings in the Black Sheep Pocket.
In 2005 we opened up a productive zone on the south margin of the West Cross Cut, which we have named the Dodgy Bugger Pocket in recognition of the unstable tunnel roof in this area. Though this slowed us down by requiring constant timbering, we recovered some good material. Most of the specimens recovered in 2006 also came from this area. Many specimens from the Dodgy Bugger are an attractive combination of large, emerald-green fluorites and octahedral galena crystals set on a white crystalline quartz background.
The 2007 summer season began with collecting at the rear of the Dodgy Bugger area, but the nature of the pocket zone quickly changed from an open area with a bad roof into a narrow tube-like cavity that we call The Rat Hole. Being narrow and tight, we no longer had the roof support problems of the previous two seasons, but the area was rather constricted and a bit of a crawl through mud and puddles of standing water to reach the face. None the less, the area was incredibly productive and has given us some of the best quality specimens we have seen in years. The character of the specimens from this area was a bit from previous years, being mostly clusters of large untwinned crystals of good form and transparency and deep green color.
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Specimen 03-139. |
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Specimen 06-045. |
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Specimen 07-037. |
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Specimen 07-081. |
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Specimen 06-046. |
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Specimen 06-049. |
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Specimen 06-017. |
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Specimen 06-004. |
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Specimen 05-008. |
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Specimen 04-046. |
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Specimen 03-145. |
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Specimen 03-072. |
The Jewel Box Pocket
Toward the end of the 2007 summer collecting season another pocket, known as "The Jewel Box" was encountered to the north of the West Cross Cut along the main tunnel. The pocket was fairly brecciated and many specimens showed some damage, but some pieces that have come out are among the finest we've yet recovered from the mine. In late November we made a return trip to the mine in order to finish excavating the pocket prior to the 2008 Tucson show. Though specimen production has been very limited from this area so far, we have high hopes for it next summer.
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Specimen 07-024. Sold/Vendu/Verkaufen |
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Specimen 07-052. Sold/Vendu/Verkaufen |
East Cross-Cut
The East Cross-Cut was started as an exploratory tunnel eastward from the main tunnel just opposite the northern drift into the West Cross Cut during the summer of 2002. This drift was intended to find out what was in the area between the Black Sheep and Solstice pockets. After driving around 20 feet of tunnel the results were disappointing and work was left off for better pickings elsewhere. Looking at a map of the mine it occured to me that the head of this drift should be fairly close to the intersection of the Birthday and Solstice pockets and by all reasoning, something good should be there. When we reopened the mine in late May 2004 I set off following a small stringer of fluorite at the face and soon started finding some good specimens, along with more than a few very large unfractured rocks in the way. Below are a couple nice pieces recovered in mid-June of 2004. they are very much like the material recovered from the Birthday Pocket two years ago. Hopefully there will be more.
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Specimen 04-002. |
Black Sheep Pocket
This pocket yielded the majority of specimens recovered during both 1999 and 2000, as well as a few during 2001. The pocket was worked eastward, away from the main tunnel during 1999, and westward from the head of the east tunnel during 2000. The two portions of the pocket were joined in August, 2000. Fluorite crystals are typically medium green, twinned, and up to 3 cm in size, often associated with white druzy quartz and crude octahedral galena crystals. Some fluorite specimens appear slightly etched and delustered. Matrix is a hard silicified limestone, which sometimes contains fossil corals. Specimens are usually quite “topographic” and numerous stalactite-like formations were found. Some very large plates were recovered with the help of a diamond chain saw from this pocket.
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Specimen 00-025. |
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Specimen 99-327. |
