It hardly seems a week since Bakewell show last Saturday, where does the time go!
We had a great time and despite the intention of not picking up too much stuff, it would be rude not to take part in the now ritual hunt for interesting and unusual things to be found in the show.
We found this specimen unexpectedly just as we were about to leave on Sunday morning. A specimen of galena and fluorite from Hilton Mine, Cumbria, UK.
Ok it is only galena, but I dont recall seeing such a well crystallised piece with the tell-tale yellow fluorite in association.
The piece is nearly 10cm across with an attractive partially oxidised surface with some natural cracking, all set on typical Hilton matrix.
The piece also has excellent provenance as it was collected by, and in the collection of Mick Sutcliffe.
Apart from the Secured Minerals label, Mick's specimens are all numbered on the back with a prefix "MS"
Mick is fondly remembered as being part of the original group behind Rogerley mine, along with the Greenbanks.
The Sutcliffe vein at Rogerley is named in his honour.
Of course there were thousands of great minerals at the Show this year, this one I though worth a special mention in despatches - after all it was this mineral that drove a lot of the local economy for so many years!!
