The trip to Denver began on that ominous day September 11th. We made it all the way to Salina, Utah and then pulled into Denver late afternoon on September 12th.  As always, there's a lot of gorgeous countryside to enjoy on the 1100 mile trip across Nevada, Utah and Colorado.

My new home town where we started our trip.

Mt Wheeler in the distance in the heart of Great Basin National Park.

Nothing has changed here in 20 plus years of driving to Denver.... 

The book cliffs near Green River, Utah.

Another place that has not changed much in the last 20 years on I-70.

A little east of Rifle, Colorado on I-70.

The Colorado River along I-70.

Just another boring landscape to stare at while heading east on I-70 in Colorado. 

Avalanche chutes near Vail, Colorado on I-70.

Ski runs at Copper Mountain.  Three months from now this will place will be swarming with people.

Last year I missed the Fine Mineral Show in Golden so left earlier to see what it was all about.  This show is organized by Dave Waisman who also promotes the Westward Look show in Tucson and the Fine Mineral Show in Houston.  The rooms were filled with gorgeous and, mostly, expensive minerals. Still, as anywhere else you go, there were good specimens to be had for modest prices.  I found quite a few good specimens there.   The first is a crystal of gold I bought from Edward's Minerals. 

A 0.6 cm crystal of cubo-octahedral gold with hoppered faces from Brazil. 

Ed also had several specimens from a new find of smoky quartz from Schuykill County in Pennsylvania.  These were collected this year by Kelly Hilmer.  These crystals have white, opaque centers with smoky tinges on the outsides.  All have brilliant luster. According to Ed Kelly is only just beginning with this new find and he said she expects to have a substantial amount available in time for Tucson 2016.

One of the better specimens from the new find that Ed had.

I saw Marshall Sussman at the Marriott and, as usual, he had all sorts of great specimens available.  Marshall is known for having quality material and prices that match the quality.  I was pleased to find a number of great specimens for what I thought to be reasonable prices from Tsumeb and Milpillas.  I also found several other specimens from different localities.  You may recall that I Tucson there was a new find of exceptionally large volborthite crystals from Milpillas. Marshall was able to obtain all of the new specimens from this find and they ran from $50 to the multi thousands! I picked up a few and also some fine azurite specimens..

Specimen of azurite from Milpillas.

1.7 cm crystal of volborthite from Milpillas. 

Spirifer minerals is always a source of fine minerals with reasonable pricing and this show was no exception.  Tom had some of the remaining specimens of native copper from the recent find in Morocco and also a new find of graphite crystals from the Lead Hill mine, Ticonderoga, New York.  The graphite crystals have been exposed by etching away the encasing calcite.  All of the crystals exhibit a slightly rounded hexagonal crystal form and are wafer thin.

Specimen of native copper from Bou Nahas, Er Rachidia, Morocco.

Specimen of graphite with 1 cm crystals from New York. 

My first update of the 2015 Denver Show was of new azurite specimens from the Sepon mine in Laos.  Scott Werschky had these much larger specimens available at the Marriott.  Below is an example of one of the dozen or so larger specimens available with Scott.  These specimens have rich azure color with brilliant luster.

20 cm specimen of azurite and malachite from Laos.

Scott also had some enormous specimens of ajoite included quartz from the Messina mine.

There is always an opportunity for socializing at shows like this. On Sunday evening at the Marriott Collector's Edge sponsored a cocktail hour with delicious o'dourves.  There was also a series of presentations and three door prizes awarded.

Marty and Rose Zinn chatting with Ian Bruce.

Diana Bruce capturing an image with Peter Megaw, Dave Hacker and others.

One of the presentations.

Steve Behling giving an overview of the Collector's Edge.

Belgian dealer Valere Berlage was at the Marriott and he had more of the incredible specimens of shattuckite from the Tantara mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  There was also a spectacular specimen of shattuckite after dioptase.

30+ cm specimen of shattuckite.

20+ cm specimen of shattuckite replacing dioptase with secondary dioptase. 

Collector's Edge has been busy in many places around the world. Of particular note are these insanely good pseudomorphs of plumbogummite after pyromorphite from China. Imagine these specimens as just pyromorphite! Enormous crystals to 5 cm!!  They've also been busy in Tasmania recovering spectacular specimens of crocoite.  

A 25 cm specimen of plumbogummite after pyromorphite.

20+ cm specimen of new crocoite.

The theme of the main show (Denver Gem and Mineral Society) is minerals of the American Southwest.  I will have a separate page detailing the displays.   As usual set up day is always a day to catch up with old friends and to learn more about what is new.  

Set up day at the Main Show.

I was happy to see my benitoite partner Steve Perry with some exceptional specimens of japan law twins of citrine quartz from Zambia.  Most of these seem to have some rat bites as the way that they are found is by digging willy nilly in the dirt with shovels. Very rarely are any recovered without small dings.

The first specimen I bought at the main show was from Paul Corey of Iteco.  It is a 3.4 gram specimen of wire gold from Venezuela. 

A wire of native gold from Venezuela. 

A 20 cm Japan Law Twin of citrine from Zambia. 

A near flawless specimen 10 cm  across. 

There are always times to take a break and relax a bit.  Arizonan Tony Potucek is always on my radar as he maintains the "mobile bar" complete with libations and deli food.  There are always a few parking lot discussions that take place during the shows like this one.

A glimpse into the back of the "mobile bar". 

More to come from Denver in the next report. 

2010
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2011
Tucson Show
San Francisco Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show
Munich Show

2012
Tucson Show
West Coast Show
East Coast Show
Denver Show  
Munich Show

2013
Tucson Show
Sainte Marie Show
Crystal Days (Poland)
East Coast Show
Munich Show

2014
Tucson Show
Denver Show 
Munich Show

2016
Tucson Show