Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

Field CollectingNorth Island, New Zealand collecting

28th Feb 2016 18:51 UTCPhilip Persson Expert

Hi All,

I'll be on the North Island of New Zealand for 2 weeks from this next Saturday March 5th through the 20th. I'll be partly on my own for a few days, then with a group of geologists and students from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado USA where I am a graduate student, on a geology field trip visiting various mines, geothermal features, and volcanic features.

Anyways, I'm sure the trip is going to be fantastic as we've been lucky to arrange visits to some unique sites like White Island, Mount Ruahepu, and the various geothermal pools and geysers around Rotorua and Lake Taupo, but as a mineral collector I was also curious whether there might be 1.) any fairly easily-accessible collecting opportunities (in general I'm more interested in sulfides etc vs. say zeolite minerals in volcanic rocks, but I'm not picky), as well as 2.) places where one might buy local minerals. I would be especially interested to learn whether any of the Coromandel peninsula or other gold mines have produced visible gold, or any nice slabbed samples showing precious metals in the epithermal banded matrix. I'd love to add a specimen of this material to my collection if it exists, so perhaps any New Zealander's out there reading this might be able to point me in the right direction.

thanks,

Philip Persson

Denver, Colorado

29th Feb 2016 06:05 UTCGreg Lilly

Hello Philip,

Collecting areas around the central north Island are few, obsidian is found around Taupo in various colours. The rhyolite on the beaches of lake Taupo contain small crystal lined cavities for the micro collector. Sulphur crystals in the thermal areas.

Most collecting is done around the Coromandel Peninsula or Northland. Chalcedony, carnelian, jasper and petrified wood are fairly widespread through the Coromandel collected in the rivers and banks.

There are many old gold mining sites around the Coromandel Peninsula, specimens showing visible gold have been found but are not common. Quartz crystals and Quartz pseudomorphs and epimorphs after calcite are what is mostly collected with some calcite.

Also, the tui mine near Te Aroha was worked for lead zinc silver etc, this mine closed 40 to 50 years ago.

If you are going to be around the Tauranga area send me a PM and I can help you out with collections to view and maybe material to purchase,

Greg

29th Feb 2016 08:02 UTCHamish Sutherland 🌟

Hello Philip,

If you are going to the Coromandel Peninsula then the Thames School of Mines Museum is certainly worth a visit, in addition to specimens from overseas there is an excellent collection of local minerals featuring sulfide specimens from the mines around the Coromandel Peninsula.

http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/3309

The Karangahake Gorge "Windows" walk is worth doing, it is a well formed track which takes you through the historic mining area in the Karangahake Gorge.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/waikato/karangahake-gorge-brochure.pdf

When you are in Rotorua I suggest that you visit Rotorua Lapidary Rock and Gemstone shop, Colin sells New Zealand minerals. Tauranga is close to Rotorua and it would be worthwhile to take up Greg's offer.

Most collecting done in the Coromandel Peninsula is for carnelian, petrified wood, jasper and chalcedony which is used as lapidary material. There are outcrops of sulfides with the Tui Mine being the best source, however, most of the area has been rehabilitated and the mines are flooded, gated or dangerous to enter, there are some surface outcrops of massive sulfides (galena, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite) near some of the mines. There still is a reasonable amount of Tui Mine material for sale.

It sounds like you have a great trip planned, White Island is fantastic.

Hamish

Go to top of page