EarthWonders Blog - Tucson Show And Localities: Elmwood Mine, Erongo Region, Denton Mine

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Tucson Show And Localities: Elmwood Mine, Erongo Region, Denton Mine | EarthWonders Newsletter #3

Alla Babkina5 minutes

Published: 01.02.2025

EarthWonders Newsletter #3Tucson Show And Localities: Elmwood Mine, Erongo Region, Denton Mine

Every week we bring you new EarthWonders platform features and mineral locality spotlights. What localities and features do you want to see next? Tell us at newsletter@earthwonders.com or ping us on Instagram. If you are reading this and haven't subscribed to the newsletter - subscribe now! If you missed the first issue of the newsletter - you can read it here.

The Wait Is Over - Private Collectors Can Sell

EarthWonders now allows private collectors in the US to sell their specimens! All collectors, including those who joined the waitlist, can now list your specimens on EarthWonders and set up your personal store. We are launching international sales next - stay tuned for updates.

EarthWonders In Tucson - Free Photography for Exclusive Listings

Our pop-up photography studio in Tucson at 248 West Lester Street is now open and ready to photograph your specimens and list them exclusively on EarthWonders. Our team will help you set up your online collection or store and photograph your specimens for free if you are only listing the item on EarthWonders. We offer a low 10% commission, secure credit card payments and payouts via PayPal, bank transfer or check.

Exclusive Listings Image

EarthWonders in Tucson 2025 - Collectors can now list specimensWill talks about the new collector listing functionality and shows where to find us if you want us to photograph your specimens in Tucson.

New Localities

We are bringing you new mineral specimens every day with over 75 000 items for sale, in private collections and museums!

Check out this week's localities that bring the most striking blue and purple specimens we've seen at the Tucson show so far:

Email us or Instagram us your favourite localities and if you can't find them on EarthWonders we will work on them next!

Elmwood Mine, Tennessee, USA - Fluorite, Sphalerite, BariteThe Elmwood Mine in Tennessee produced some of the most aesthetically striking mineral combinations of fluorite, sphalerite, and barite ever discovered in North America. These three-species associations are particularly notable for their dramatic color contrast - deep purple fluorite crystals perched atop honey-brown sphalerite, often accompanied by pristine white to translucent barite blades. What makes the Elmwood specimens especially remarkable is the exceptional luster and crystallization of all three minerals, with the fluorite displaying sharp octahedral forms up to several centimeters across. The sphalerite crystals show distinctive resinous surfaces and complex modified tetrahedral habits, while the barite forms elegant tabular crystals that add dimensional contrast to the specimens. During the mine's peak production in the 1970s and 1980s, these combinations emerged as some of the finest examples of Mississippi Valley-type mineralization, becoming centerpieces in major museum collections and private cabinets worldwide.More from Elmwood Mine

Erongo Region, Namibia - AmethystWithin Namibia's rugged Erongo Mountains, a remarkable suite of amethyst specimens emerged that would redefine collectors' expectations for this variety of quartz. Unlike traditional amethyst occurrences in geodes or vugs, these crystals form distinctive "scepter" growths atop earlier smoky quartz, creating dramatic stepped formations with intensified purple hues at their terminations. What makes Erongo amethyst particularly remarkable is its unique combination of mirror-bright faces and frosted prism zones, giving them a striking aesthetic contrast rarely seen in amethyst from other localities. Many crystals exhibit remarkably sharp hexagonal prisms topped by rhombohedral terminations, with the richest purple coloration concentrated in the terminal zones. Since their initial discovery in the early 2000s, Erongo amethysts have become highly sought after for their unique combination of architectural form, distinctive color zoning, and association with other minerals like black tourmaline and white albite that create dramatic aesthetic contrasts.More from Erongo Region

Denton Mine, Illinois, USA - FluoriteThe Denton Mine in southern Illinois stands as one of the most significant producers of fluorite specimens in the American Midwest. What sets Denton fluorite apart is its remarkable range of colors - from deep royal purples to subtle sea-foam greens, often with distinct color zoning within single crystals. The specimens are particularly noteworthy for their exceptional transparency and distinctive cubic habit, with crystals commonly reaching sizes of 5-10 centimeters on edge. During its operational peak in the mid-20th century, the mine yielded specimens showing unusual combinations of growth patterns, including stepped faces and phantom inclusions that reveal multiple stages of crystal development. Perhaps most striking are the pieces featuring interpenetrant twins, where two cubic crystals share a common face at 45 degrees, creating geometric forms that seem almost architectural in their precision. These specimens, emerging from the heart of the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, represent some of the finest examples of American fluorite mineralization ever discovered.More from Denton Mine