Stancombe Lane Quarry

At this location one could expect to find such minerals as Galena, Baryte, Calcite, Purple Fluorite, dolomite and some hydrocarbons.

Grains of Galena buried in Massive Baryte from Nicola's collection

Calcite lined cavity from Nicola's collection.

Calcite lined cavity with minor fluorite

Calcite lined cavity with minor fluorite

Calcite lined cavity with purple fluorite collected by John.

Detail of Fluorite.

A nice 4mm nearly complete cube of Fluorite perched on Calcites (Graham's collection).

Cluster of calcite crystals encrusted with tiny "Balls" of goethite.
The major spray in the centre may also have Lepidocrocite.

In the same vug as the above calcite and goethite was this small group of deep blue Fluorite with dark reddish brown fractured hydrocarbons.
(Graham's Collection).

One cavity revealed a number of small clear "butterfly" twinned crystals of calcite,
which were very difficult to photograph.
(Graham's Collection).

A small isolated cavity in calcite filled with undefined hydrocarbons.
(Graham's Collection).

Durnford Quarry

Geoff inspecting a collection of calcite crystals.

At this location one could expect to find such minerals as Goethite, Quartz, Calcite, Rhodochrosite and other manganese minerals.

Cavity lined with tiny sprays of goethite needles. (Nicola's collection)

Detail of goethite needles.

Another example of goethite needles lining a cavity in massive goethite (John's collection)

More Goethite with tiny Baryte crystals attached.

Small isolated Baryte crystals on massive Goethite.

Baryte on goethite matrix (John's collection)

Detail of baryte

Goethite lined cavity in massive goethite with quartz crystals.

Detail of quartz crystals.

Massive Rhodochrosite (Nicola's Collection)

More Rhodochrosite in massive manganese rich matrix, (from John's collection).

Cut and polished fragment showing Rhodochrosite banding (Jolyon's Collection)

Detail of Rhodochrosite banding.

Iron stained quartz crystals with minor Baryte and calcite.
Most of the calcite on this piece has been etched away to reveal the quartz.
(Jolyon's Collection).

Goethite "Stalagmites" encrusted with clear and smokey double terminated quartz crystals to about 3mm with a small group of baryte on the tip.
(Graham's Collection)

A tiny Baryte rosette attached to matrix of goethite with small quartz crystals.
(Graham's Collection).

Another small example of Rhodochrosite.
(Graham's Collection).

And another !
(Graham's Collection).

A small cavity lined with clear quartz crystals with a few micro-goethites attached.
(Graham's Collection).

More barytes with small "stalagmites" of goethite, again encrusted with tiny double terminated quartz crystals.
(Graham's Collection).

A close up of some tiny goethite growths with Baryte in the background.
(Graham's Collection).

An interesting example showing the iron stained quartz crystals embedded with calcite and other minerals in a definite layered growth pattern.
(Graham's Collection).

Saturday 11th July 2009

Whatley Quarry

At this location one could expect to find such minerals as Quartz in Goethite, Galena and Sphalerite, Calcite, Manganese minerals, as well as a selection of invertebrate fossils.

Here are some of the fossils Nicola Collected:

Crinoid Calyx - Actinocrinites triacontadactylus.

Detail of above.

An assortment of crinoid ossicles.

A selection of small solitary corals.

A selection of small solitary corals.

More Crinoid Ossicles - Platycrinites gigas.

Small group of iron stained Calcite crystals (John's Collection).

A tiny water clear terminated quartz crystal on matrix.
(Graham's Collection).

A bed of yellowish dog tooth calcite crystals.
(Graham's Collection).

Close up of the above calcite crystals.

In a cavity of calcite crystals this tiny "butterfly" twin of calcite was found.
(Graham's Collection).

Some larger iron stained calcite crystal groups.
(Graham's Collection).