Holger Klapproth's Photo Gallery
DXU-XQUAcanthite Ag2S , Quartz SiO2
Field of View: 3.2 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 0.7 mm
Nice Acanthite that was formed on native Silver (not visible) on a specimen from the famous "white dump" of the ancient Barbara Mine on Schauinsland. This picture was kindly taken be Gerhard Niceus.
View of open work with place of former water wheel and collapsed shaft
This is a part of the historic medieval mining area "Birkenberg" near St. Ulrich. This place was researched a few years ago by Freiburg University. It is a scientifically very interesting location as mining there was in medieval times only with no modern mining altering the site. Two of the adits were opened and researched. They are now secured and are part of a mining history path. Here the picture is taken in a place of open cast mining looking towards the place where a water wheel and a collapsed shaft (behind the wooden barrier visible in the picture center) were in old times. The place of the waterwheel was identified by archeologists trough structures chiseled in the rock where the wheel was held in place. The place is open to the public but a bit slippery when wet.
L08-VC0Fluorite CaF2 , Calcite CaCO3
Dimensions: 10 cm x 7 cm x 6 cm
Rare purple Fluorite from Artenberg. While the octahedron was the most common crystal form of Fluorite at this location the more complex forms are much more rare. Markel states in his book about Minerals of the Black Forest that these types of crystals were found in the first half of 20th century.
VKA-C54Fluorite CaF2 , Baryte BaSO4
Dimensions: 15 cm x 11 cm x 6 cm
Purple-grey Fluorite with slightly yellow Baryte crystals. Good Fluorite specimens from Gottesehre Mine are rare - though this was a Fluorite producer.
3PY-XR7Pyromorphite Pb5(PO4)3Cl , Quartz SiO2 , Galena PbS
Dimensions: 8 cm x 6 cm x 4 cm
Green Pyromorphite sitting on Quartz. On the right side of the specimen there is a little metallic grey Galena visible.
CPC-0AHCalcite CaCO3 , Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 , Sphalerite ZnS , Quartz SiO2
Dimensions: 14 cm x 7 cm x 10 cm
This is a typical underground specimen from the North Field of Schauinland. Slightly yellow Calcite is on top light brown Dolomite followed by Quartz and black Sphalerite. The top of the specimen is not visible but is covered completely by Calcite crystals. Specimens like this are hard to find nowadays. This one is from an old collection.
FJH-9W3Silver Ag
Dimensions: 50 mm x 20 mm x 15 mm
Very nice crystallized silver specimen from Alt Sankt Joseph Mine. As clearly visible this specimen was etched from the baryte matrix to free the silver crystals. Etching silver free from baryte is a brutal process using molten salts.
VU8-3C5Pyromorphite Pb5(PO4)3Cl , Goethite α-Fe3+O(OH)
Dimensions: 5 cm x 4 cm x 3 cm
Largest Crystal Size: 5 mm
Light green pyromorphite sitting on black goethite.
On the underground train
Picture taken from the carriage of the underground train when entering the mine. The train takes visitors to the interesting areas of the mine from where the tour continues by foot. The train is run by batteries.
Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 28th Jun 2023
View of collapsed "Grotta dell'Allume"
View taken from a boat in October 2015. The ceiling of the Grotta has collapsed and reduced the size of the little cave seriously. The part that came down was the location where the Yavapaite was found a few years ago. As it did not look safe we did not inspect the leftovers of the cave but just went swimming to the submerged fumaroles in front of the place. In the background is a part of the area around the mud pool that is heated by fumaroles were tourists can bath for a fee.
