HQLP ('High Quality, Low Price') Report

摘要

Naturally, in this biggest of all Earth-science-materials bazaars, there was an abundance of HQLP material awaiting the devoted, discriminating but low-budget shopper. Anyone who tries to claim today that all good minerals are stratospherically overpriced just hasn't been paying attention. I've already made the point that, as regards azurite from the Milpillas mine, Mexico and cuprite from the Rubtskoye mine, Russia, this is the time to find not only high-priced, extraordinary specimens but also very fine examples priced at less than $200. For instance, Scott Kleine of Great Basin Minerals (www.greatbasin.com) had a few razor-sharp, entirely complete floater Russian cuprites of large-thumbnail and small-miniature size, some with loupe-visible dendrites of native silver, for around $200. For cuprite crystals of such perfection and beauty from anywhere you'd have expected to pay at least ten times as much just a few years ago. As for Milpillas azurites-the bounty of specimens at Evan Jones's stand at the Main Show included many excellent crystal groups for less than $200, and other dealers also had such; for instance, the Main Show stand of Jim McGlasson's The Collector's Stope (www.TheCollectorStope@comcast.net) boasted a row of lovely miniatures for $50 to $150, and, in his two big cases set up outdoors near the entrance to the InnSuites, Jesus Valenzuela (Hcetyenyhu@hotmail.com) offered excellent Milpillas azurites to small-cabinet size, even some of the larger pieces coming in under our informal $200 limit.