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Mineral ExchangesColumbo-Tantalite(Fe) from Minas Gerais (among other things)

5th Mar 2023 16:12 UTCRay Ladbury

Exchanges have been pretty moribund of late, so I thought maybe I'd see if I could pique some interest. A couple of years ago I picked up a lot of Columbo-tantalites on a trip to Minas Gerais. The price was decent. It's interesting material, and the quality was far better than the usual Coltan specimens out of MG. Quality ranges from crystal shards to good crystalline form, sizes from a few grams up to ~100 grams. Jet black, heavy and shiny. These would be ideal for teaches who want props to illustrate where important industrial minerals originate, or if you don't have this species in your collection, this is an opportunity to add a decent example. Tantalum is used for everything from capacitors in cell phones to radiation shielding in spacecraft.

My main interests are crystals of gem species and rare minerals. A particular interest would be decent end species of pyrope and almandine. Thanks, Ray

16th Mar 2023 09:19 UTCNicholas BARBIS

I am a Greek collector of minerals and would be interested in exchanging minerals with you.

I have an extended trade-list with hundreds of specimens from Lavrion (both mines and slags) and the abroad. If interested, send me your list to see what could be of my interest.

My email address is : nbarbis1@gmail.com

Nikos Barbis

19th Mar 2023 21:33 UTCRay Ladbury

Tantalite-(Fe)

Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil

samples on the right show good crystal form on 5 of 6 sides, middle, less well crystalized, but still euhedral. On the left, fragments, but good faces.