Fieldtrip Report:
Fieldtrip Report:
Marion Kentucky
Ben E. Clement Museum Annual Show and Digs
June 7-8, 2008
By
Steve Bonney
Photos by Steve Bonney and Tammy Collins-Bonney
Marion, Kentucky is always a great destination for rockhounds, but when the great folks at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum throw in a gem and mineral show, plus an opportunity to dig at six different mines, it’s hard to stay away.
On Saturday we did our best to be there as the doors opened to the Clement Mineral Museum’s Annual Gem and Mineral Show so we’d have plenty of time for digging later.
Katie and fellow MAGMA members, Donna and Ken, who were set up as show vendors. This was Katie’s first mineral show and she had a blast checking out everyone’s merchandise.
Soon it was time for the real business of the weekend-digging. With six mine sites open for digging it was tough to decide where to start, but a chance to dig at the Eureka Mine is always tough to past up, so that’s were we started. It had already attracted a crowd by the time we arrived. It was very hot, despite its shaded location.
Lizziebird was already hard at work when we arrived.
Mine dump digging is tough to beat as quality daddy-daughter time!
The creek provided some welcome relief from the heat.
Eureka Fluorite
Extremely clear Eureka Mine fluorite.
The Eureka Mine also produces some interesting calcite specimens.
Eureka Mine Calcite
Calcite and Fluorite
Calcite on Fluorite
Calcite and Fluorite
