general news from issue 60
how clever
Dr Ellery Frahm from the University of Sheffield has continued with research from the mid sixties of chemically matching obsidian from early tools to specific volcanoes. Later work now developed using magnetic analysis is able to pin point the source of obsidian to within metres of it's origin. This development enables researchers to understand early human movement and exact quarry locations.
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oldest water to date
Have your enhydro crystals dropped in value? The Timmins mine in Canada has yielded some ancient water purported to be between 1.5 - 2.6 billion years old at a depth of 2.4 km. Tested by using Xenon gas isotopes the date can't be too specific but is certainly the oldest water known to date. Further tests are being made for evidence of microbes that would have adapted to live in the fluid.
closer shave
I'm sure 'Space Rock' fans are always keeping visuals skyward, but did the rest of us know that the 2.8km diameter asteroid 1998 QE2 discovered by MIT’s Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) program passed by at a relatively close 5.8 Million km from earth, less than half the size of the alleged 'dinosaur extinction' asteroid but sufficient to cause a similar result.
Recent close passes have been made by only 50-100m size asteroids.
harry legacy
Not quite meeting Christies expectations but £15.8 million isn't an amount to disappoint, that was the figure not including tax & fees for a 101.73 ct flawless colourless diamond originally from a 236ct rough nugget from the Jwaneng mine in Botswana. Harry Winston made the purchase and the stone has now been named "Harry Legacy".
Although a record for an auction house sale The largest colourless flawless diamond known is the Cullinan Diamond, a gem weighing 530.2 carats.
chile fines
mining company
More reason to look for ethical gold - the worlds largest gold mining company has been fined by the Chilean government $16 million, however environmental organisations suggest Barrack Gold got off lightly.
Although their share price has dropped considerably. The fines related to several incidents including a discharge into a river from an acid treatment plant.
curiosity still
going strong
Curiosity has drilled another hole on the red planet less than 3m from the 1st hole, early analysis suggest the rock was laid down in a lake like environment, the Martian visitor has been on the planet for over 280 days and will be heading for more mountainous terrain towards Aeolus Mons which should take several months to reach.
more meteorites
Just in. Another famed meteorite that originated from mars didn't sell at auction for the expected $160,000 + so it's currently available as a direct purchase $102,462 + fees from Heritage auctions ha.com, particularly worth a mention is the La Madona Rosa from Minas Gerais which sold for $428,270.
amber exhibition
Always worthy of a visit but especially this year to see a wasp suspended in Mexican amber as part of the Amazing Amber exhibition is the National Museum of Scotland located in Edinburgh.
large impact on moon
On the moon this time and March the 17th saw the largest impact on the moon's surface since 2005 when recording began, out of the 300 impacts this meteorite thought to be under half a meter weighed approximately 40kg.
It was visible with the naked eye!
early beading
You may have thought that beading was a relatively new pastime however after being discovered in 1911 iron beads from an excavation south of Cairo dating to 3350- 3600BC thought to have been the result of an early iron smeltering attempt have recently be re-examined, in combination the Open Universities’ electron microscope and Manchester Universities X-Ray CT scanner have provided evidence that the beads are of meteorite origin.
50th Munich Show
This year The Munich Show ‘Mineralientage München’ celebrates its 50th anniversary. What started with twenty tiny tables in 1964 has become Europe’s largest and leading trade fair for minerals, gems and fossils.
More than 1200 exhibitors will be attending in four separate halls :- Mineralworld, Gemworld, Fossilworld & Stoneworld originating from 65 countries. The show attracts approximately 40,000 visitors each year. There will be more information on the show in the next issue.
kunzite
Speaking of auctions did any one see the two large blue kunzites naturally irradiated, origin Afghanistan, appear at Wellers Auctioneers in May.
Approximately 160ct & 190ct.
secret stash
I can't recall mentioning clothing of a non protective manner within the magazine before but a new range of Ladies wear has been launched, each piece of the exquisitely designed lingerie incorporates a discreet pocket for stowing the crystal of your choice, visit:
crystalcupslingerie.co.uk for more info.
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