Field Trips

Spring 2011 I don't think any miner is big on having field trips come to their mine. I know I am not. It is a tremendous amount of work especially if they are going to be let inside the quarry. It usually takes a day or two to make the mine, people friendly and then I lose a day of mining while people are here. I didn't take up mining to become a tour guide. That being said it is great to see people learning new things especially the younger ones who have awe in their eyes. Some of the younger ones have a greater knowledge than many of the adults. There are some great field collectors, that come and it is a pleasure to meet them. As safe as we make it at the quarry there is always someone who thinks they need to try and access the most dangerous spot to see what is there and they become a danger to themselves and others around them. Rocks hurt when you fall on them or they fall on someone else and they are much heavier than they look. Groups would do themselves a favor if they policed their own a little better. As with most groups it is a very small percentage who ruins it for the rest. If you would like to visit the Havey I would recommend Poland Mining Camps as they are the only ones allowed in on a regular basis. I also let college geology classes in if it fits my schedule.

Yes the rumor is true the top of the tourmaline pocket was blasted off and ends up being spread around the mine.I had tried to keep it quiet about finding the tourmaline pocket, but it is amazing how quickly news travels in the mining world, much of it ends up being exaggerated. I believe this is caused some by us all dreaming of the perfect specimens. Mention of the word tourmaline brings visions of big gem crystals when many times it is opaque with no crystal structure at all. After working the tourmaline pocket and with a couple different groups coming in I had covered up the remnants of the pocket so that no one was going to get to it. Knowing that I had blasted off the top of the pocket I had looked around and washed off a fairly large area without finding much tourmaline, but when the Maine Mineral Symposium field trip shows up on a rainy day they have some pretty good success. Of course they have the advantage of many eyes and hands going through many different areas. Although rain can deter some it brings out the color in the rock that has a tendency to fade on a dry sunny day. There was plenty of fresh blasted rock and much of this rock had come from the mineralized zone so that it had many nice specimens although many didn't have much value, it is still great to find some color. It's also wonderful to see some of the youngsters out there looking and finding some nice specimens. They sometimes get some specimens that I have lying around that I don't really want to take home but are worth too much to throw away. I think it is great when the field trip participants find something nice. As a miner we don't spend much time going through the dumps unless it is right after a blast and we think something may have got blasted out. In this case I knew some material had been blasted from the pocket but the chances of me finding something was small although I am always on the look out.

A piece of gem tourmaline found by Barbara Liebman at the Maine Mineral Symposium field trip.  This was not the only piece of tourmaline found this summer. The best piece that someone found in the dumps was the best piece of  gem rough that came out of the whole pocket.  I am not asking for it back but would take it if you get tired of it. 

Another find from the Symposium trip was this nice smoky scepter. I was a little jealous on this one. It was a wet day but with finds like this no one was leaving

                                                                                                                                                   The Pegmatite Workshop was next to show up. This is a great group as there are many knowledgeable people. The workshop is a one week event where participants spend half a day in the classroom and half a day out in the field at a different mine everyday. I try to have the mine cleaned up for the workshop as there are many scientist in this group and they want to see what is actually going on in the pegmatite. Some of what they want to collect I wouldn't even give a second look at.  It is also a great time to get some people shots as there usually are some very colorful shirts worn by this group. I would highly recommend this event for anyone interested in pegmatites especially from Maine as it is truly a world class group. This event will not be held until 2014 as the Peg 2013 International Symposium will take place in New Hampshire and Maine during this period. Peg 2013 is geared a little more toward the pegmatite experts. I believe this is a first time that it has been held in the USA. There are both a lectures and field trips and this event will have participants from all over the world.

Photo by Raymond Sprague Anticipation builds as participants to the Pegmatite workshop near the entrance to the mine . For some it will be the first time that they have been here. Most that come have a wonderful time. 

photo by Al Falster Some of the Workshop participants eagerly waiting for the green light to go into the quarry.

Photo by Al Falster Yes that is Skip Simmons helping Jim Nizamoff remove a large specimen from the wall.

Photo by Raymond Sprague  Al Falster and one of the paricipants in front of one of the quartz pockets from last fall.