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    Photo Contest

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Currently Running club competitionS

We formally announce our next annual club photography contest. We are actively taking club member photography submissions for our 4th club-wide Millie Hurt Mineral Photography Contest. The prize for the best photo image will be awarded by the judges and announced in the club newsletter. You can click on the images to magnify them for better viewing. This will run from January 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2024.

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by FreePNG.com

The 4th Annual Millie Hurt Mineral
Photography Contest

The Rules

Club members in good standing can submit up to five photographs of minerals in their personal collection. The photos must be submitted in electronic format and emailed to either Brad Zylman (brad.zylman@mrm-mccann.com) or Dave Lurie (dlurie2001@comcast.net). Photos must be at least 1024 by 768 pixels in order to be posted for consideration. If you're looking for some quick tips on mineral photography, just click here.

The photos must be accompanied by a document (.doc) or text file (.txt) that lists what the specimen is, where it was found and whether it was purchased or self-collected. It can also contain any descriptive information that you wish others to know. This document must have the following wording in it: “I give my permission to post this photo and information on the MMS website, Instagram, and on Facebook in perpetuity.” In return, we will not use your name or publish personal information.

When: Starting January 1, 2024. Ending March 31, 2024.

Where: Material, if sent in a usable format, will be posted within a month on the MMS website (www.michmin.org), under the About Us tab. It will be public-facing with the intention to generate interest and highlight our club.

Why: To promote the interests of mineral collecting, geology and to create excitement for the Michigan Mineralogical Society. We have renamed the contest in honor of Millie Hurt's memory, and her passion to share mineral collecting with the world.

The Prize: The Best two photographs of the Year will receive the President’s Award, a substantial cash prize given to the winners. 

We hope all MMS Members take out their Smartphones or Cameras and Submit your Photos Today!! 

Previous Year's WInners
Canary Selenite

red River Gypsum

Sylvania Calcite

Sylvania Calcite

Mimetite

Chihuahua Mimetite

Moroccan Geode

Moroccan Geode

Multi-Colored Smithsonite.jpeg

Bi-Color Smithsonite

Moroccan Natrolite

Moroccan natrolite

Click on any Image to magnify it.

2024 january entries
Celestite and Calcite

Mineral Variety: celestite & calcite phosphorescing

Locality: Sylvania Quarry, Ohio

Dimensions: 4.2 x 4.6 cm

Collection Method: Purchased in 2023 from a private collection.

DESCRIPTION: Photo taken with no light after exposure to 365nm UV with a smartphone camera. Phosphorescing in a beautiful green.

Blue Fluorite

Mineral Variety: fluorite

Locality: Fujian Province, China

Dimensions: 9 x 5.5 x 3.5 cm

Weight: 144 grams

Collection Method: Purchased in Tucson, AZ

DESCRIPTION: Well-formed, transparent, light blue cubular Fluorite crystals grown intertwined on matrix with quartz.

Yellow Dogtooth Calcite

Mineral Variety: calcite

Locality: Rainbow Pocket, Fletcher Mine, West Fork, Reynolds County, Missouri, USA

Dimensions: 16 x 7.5 x 9.2 cm

Weight: 735 grams

Collection Method: Purchased in 2021 from the MMS show.

DESCRIPTION: Large cognac-colored, twinned, and doubly terminated Calcite crystal perched upon an off-white Calcite crystal with Chalcopyrite on its face.

Blueberry Fluorite

Mineral Variety: Fluorite with Calcite

Locality: Huanggangliang mine, Keshiketeng Qi, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China

Dimensions: 7.7 x 7 x 6 cm

Weight: 383 grams

Collection Method: Purchased online

DESCRIPTION: Aqua blue botryoidal Fluorite with inner purple hues on top of Quartz matrix and white Calcite ball-like crystals. A stunning specimen. 

2024 February entries
Resized_20240216_132423.jpeg

Mineral Variety: Quartz & Sphalerite & Pyrite

Locality: Huaron Mining District, Pasco Province, Peru

Dimensions: 4 inches x 5 inches

Weight: 1 lb 11 oz.

Collection Method: Purchased in 2023 from MMS picnic.

DESCRIPTION: Quartz crystals with Sphalerite crystals, golden Pyrite and Tennantite crystals.

Celestite on Calcite Newport.jpeg

Mineral Variety: Celestite and Calcite 

Locality: Thompson-McCully Quarry, Newport MI

Dimensions: 6.5cm x 2.6cm

Collection Method: Purchased from the 2022 MMS Show

DESCRIPTION: Celestite Crystal on a larger Calcite matrix. No alterations made on image.

2024 March entries
Lake superior Agate

Mineral Variety: Lake Superior Agate

Locality: Five Mile Point, Eagle River, MI

Dimensions: 1.5 x 0.6 cm

Collection Method: Self Collected 2003

DESCRIPTION: Multi-eyed Lake Superior Agate. Image taken with a cell phone, no alterations.

Copper Agate Wolverine #2

Mineral Variety: copper replacement agate

Locality: Wolverine #2 Mine, Kearsarge, Houghton County, MI

Dimensions: 2.2 x 1.4 cm

Collection Method: Self Collected 2012

DESCRIPTION: Copper included replacement Agate. Image taken with a cell phone with no alterations.

Green Fluorite

Mineral Variety: Green Fluorite

Locality: -

Dimensions: -

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Fluorite specimen was purchased at the MMS Greater Mineral, Gem, & Fossil Show 2021. 

Corundum var. Ruby

Mineral Variety: Corundum (var. ruby)

Locality: -

Dimensions: -

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: This ruby specimen from a Gemstone shop on Etsy in 2022.

Mexican Calcite

Mineral Variety: Mexican Calcite

Locality: Mexico

Dimensions: -

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Citrine Quartz specimen was purchased at the MMS Greater Mineral, Gem, & Fossil Show 2021. 

Barite on Fluorite

Mineral Variety: Barite on Fluorite 

Locality: Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co., Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China 

Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 4 cm

Weight: 726 grams

Collection Method: Purchased at 2023 MMS show.

DESCRIPTION: Golden barite crystals up to 1 cm x 0.75 cm; the blue and green Fluorite crystals are ~ 1.5 cm across.

Celestine and Calcite

Mineral Variety: Celestine with calcite 

Locality: Sylvania Quarry, South Rockport, MI 

Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 4 cm

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Cream-colored Calcite crystals with sugury calcite and a pale blue Celestine Crystal.

Amethyst

Mineral Variety: Amethyst quartz

Locality: Unknown

Dimensions: -

Weight: -

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Purchased this quartz specimen at the John Ball Zoo gift shop in Grand Rapids in August 2016. 

Rose Quartz

Mineral Variety: rose quartz

Locality: -

Dimensions: -

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Rose Quartz specimen was purchased at the MMS Greater Mineral, Gem, & Fossil Show 2021. 

Quartz w_Epidote_edited.jpg

Mineral Variety: Epidote on Quartz

Locality: Beyyurdu, Hakkari, Anatolia, Turkey 

Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 8 cm

Weight: 241 grams

Collection Method: Purchased at 2023 MMS show in October.

DESCRIPTION: No info on Mindat, but there are people selling this. It might be from Şemdinli in Hakkari since that area reports both epidote and quartz. "Hi, these are from the mountains near the town of Beyyurdu. There isn't a mine as these are basically surface-collected with hand tools. I think that's about as precise as it gets, according to my guy in Beyyurdu." from Robert at Perfect Point Crystal.

Fluorite

Mineral Variety: Fluorite 

Locality: Okorusu Mine, Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia 

Dimensions: 11 x 10 x 5 cm

Weight: 612 grams

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Cubic zoned fluorite with pink, brown, and greenish-gray zoning. The largest cube is 3.25 cm

Arizona Vanadinite

Mineral Variety: Vanadinite 

Locality: N. Geronimo Mine, Arizona

Dimensions: 14.5 x 8.3 x 3.8 cm

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Many medium-sized deep orange-red shiny crystals on a dark matrix.

Moroccan Vanadinite

Mineral Variety: Vanadinite 

Locality: Morocco

Dimensions: 25 x 12 x 8 cm; 10 x 5 mm hexagonal crystals

Weight: 2815 grams

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Beautiful undamaged large crystals all over. One side must have been cleaned and the other wasn't. Also, lots of small crystals everywhere. I don't know location, but it's color and crystal shape looks most like the vanadinite from Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco shown in MinDat pix. 

Magnetite with Vesuvianite

Mineral Variety: Rainbow Magnetite with Vesuvianite 

Locality: Skardu, Pakistan

Dimensions: 33 x 23 x 12 mm

Collection Method: Purchased Online

DESCRIPTION: Magnetite was called Lodestone in ancient days. This image shows nice morphism on the crystals and rare rainbow iridescence. The Vesuvianite is a gemmy olivine green color in the background.

Indicolite Tourmaline and Lepidolite

Mineral Variety: indicolite tourmaline & lepidolite  

Locality: Unknown

Dimensions: 1 1/3 x 5/16 x 5/16 inches

Collection Method: Purchased from the 2023 MMS Auction

DESCRIPTION: Shows a nice tricolor watermelon (blue - green - pink) on the bottom of the crystal.

Fluorite

Mineral Variety: fluorite 

Locality: Diana Maria Mine, Frosterley, Weardale County, Durham, England 

Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.4 x 5 cm

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Numerous intergrown dark green translucent cubular Fluorite crystals on matrix with small black Galena crystals.

Paraspirifer bownockeri brachiopod

Fossil Variety: Paraspirifer bownockeri brachiopod 

Locality: Sylvania, Ohio

Dimensions: 5.0 cm

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: The calcite shell of this middle Devonian brachiopod from the silica shale is encrusted with a peacock-colored pyrite.

Fluorite and Barite on Galena

Mineral Variety: Fluorite and Barite on Galena 

Locality: Cave in Rock, Illinois

Dimensions: 5.5 x 6.2 cm 

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Photo taken with cell phone an no alterations. Purple Fluorite with Barite on Galena.

Fossilized Limestone

Mineral Variety: Fossiliferous Limestone 

Locality: Lake Michigan, Northport, MI

Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.2 x 3.4 cm

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Horn and branch coral cloaked in drusy calcite. Self-collected on the shores of Lake Michigan in Northport, MI. 

Calcite

Mineral Variety: Calcite 

Locality: Sylvania Quarry, South Rockport, MI

Dimensions: 6.4 cm x 5.4 cm x 6.4 cm

Collection Method: Meticulously self-collected with a sledge hammer.

DESCRIPTION: Stunning honey calcite double-cone formed around a transparent tabular calcite crystal. Collected on a MMS field trip to the Sylvania Quarry in South Rockport, MI

Brazilianite and Muscovite

Mineral Variety: BRAZILIANITE, MUSCOVITE

Locality: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dimensions: 3 x 2 x 1 cm

Weight: ~15 grams

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Yellow brazilianite triad with tan muscovite.

Rose Quartz

Mineral Variety: rose Quartz 

Locality: Canadian Beryllium Mine, West Quarry, Quadeville, Ontario

Dimensions: 22 x 13.5 x 6 cm

Weight: 1947 grams

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Anhedral rose quartz crystal, collected ~1965. Color from interstitial dumortierite.

Sulfur & Calcite

Mineral Variety: sulfur & Calcite 

Locality: Catalina, Italy

Dimensions: 11 x 11 x 4.5 cm 

Weight: 639 grams

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Large yellow sulfur crystals with scalenohedral calcite crystals (calcite fluoresces peach colored under L.W.).

Stoneco Calcite

Mineral Variety: Calcite 

Locality: Stoneco Lime City Quarry, Lime City, Ohio

Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 5.5 cm 

Weight: 9.9 oz.

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: A honey Calcite, with a very unusual crystal morphology, from Stoneco Lime City Quarry,

in Lime City Ohio, purchased from the Jim Rives collection.

Tanzanite with Calcite & Graphite

Mineral Variety: tanzanite, calcite & graphite 

Locality: Merelani Hills, Tanzania

Dimensions: 1 x 1/2 x 1/2 inches

Collection Method: Purchased at the 2023 MMS show

DESCRIPTION: Unheated Tanzanite shows nice pleochroism with blueish-purple and brown.

Blue Anatase

Mineral Variety: blue anatase  

Locality: Baluchistan, Pakistan

Dimensions: 1 x 1/2 x 2/3 inches

Collection Method: Purchased from the 2023 MMS Show

DESCRIPTION: Nice blue crystal of anatase.

Bracciopod

Fossil Variety: brachiopod 

Locality: Ausable River, Ontario, Canada

Dimensions: -

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: This is an exceptionally preserved brachiopod from the middle Devonian period of Arkona, Ontario, Canada. Self-collected in the late 70s in the soft muddy bank of the AuSable River in shat was then known as the Arkona Shale Formation. Note the tiny branching coral that attached itself to the outside of the shell.

Red Agate

Mineral Variety: Red agate 

Locality: Dulcote Quarry, England

Dimensions: 12 X 9.4 cm

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Dulcote Quarry Red Agate.

Yellow Calcite

Mineral Variety: Calcite 

Locality: Berry Quarry, Vernon, Indiana

Dimensions: 2.6 x 3.1 cm 

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Photo taken with cell phone an no alterations. "Mercedes" yellow calcite crystal.

Favosite

Mineral Variety: Fluorescent Favosite Fossil 

Locality: Lake Michigan, Glen Arbor, MI

Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.3 x 1.6 cm 

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Vibrant orange, blue, lime-green, and yellow fluorescence when exposed to 365 nm UV light, enveloped in a layer of translucent chalcedony. Found on the shore of Lake Michigan in Glen Arbor, MI.

Twinned Celestite

Mineral Variety: Twinned Radial Celestite 

Locality: Sylvania Quarry, South Rockport, MI

Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.9 x 1.3 cm

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Twinned pale blue radial celestite, self collected at a MMS field trip to the Sylvania Quarry in South Rockport, MI.

Two Ammonites

Mineral Variety: Ammonite Fossil

Locality: Blue Ridge Esker, Jackson, MI

Dimensions: 5.5 x 3 x 1.3 cm

Collection Method: Self-Collected

DESCRIPTION: Two ammonite fossils with cephalopod and mollusk trace fossils. Self-collected on a Paleo Joe field trip found through MMS membership.

Stilbite

Mineral Variety: Stilbite 

Locality: Limbe-Jalgoan, Manarashtra, India

Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 5 cm 

Weight: 271 grams

Collection Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Salmon-colored stilbite (wheat-sheaf configuration) on white stilbite.

Tsavorite, Diopside

Mineral Variety: TSAVORITE, DIOPSIDE

Locality: Merelani Hills, Lelatima Mts., Manyara region, Tanzania

Dimensions: 1.5 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: Green Tsavorite with brown diopside.

Black Rose Fluorite

Mineral Variety: UV image of Fluorite 

Locality: China

Dimensions: 11.2 x 6.6 x 5.8 cm 

Weight: 12.4 oz.

Collection Method: Purchased

DESCRIPTION: A Black Rose Fluorite from China, taken under UV lighting conditions showing a rarer magenta and purple fluorescence.

Please Submit Your Photos Soon!

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