chromenut
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2009
Posts: 1,971
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Post by chromenut on Mar 4, 2011 23:33:51 GMT -5
well, sort of, purchased these beauties from a collector on ebay, got them dirt cheap (pun intended). The Labradorite is 50mm x 22mm x 11mm thick. The absolutely beautiful moonstone is 45mm. The Septarian is 67mm, and the Selenite is 48mm wide x 98mm tall. One day I want to go there and collect some of my own specimens!
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Jason
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 216
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Post by Jason on Mar 5, 2011 2:02:38 GMT -5
Curses..i was hoping for a nice long picture filled trip report from the title ;D ;D. I have never been but have had quite a few friends and aquaintances go. Like that labradorite a bunch
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Post by tanyafrench on Mar 5, 2011 10:42:18 GMT -5
Robin, you really have some beautiful finds. Especially when you say it was dirt cheap. Wow. Love those spheres and the Lab is gorgeous.
Tanya
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Mar 10, 2011 14:18:04 GMT -5
I have a very long trip report from my trip to Madagascar that I can link to if anyone is really interested. * I wouldn't go for rockhounding unless you have a connection there who speaks French, Malagasy, and who knows the mines. * The stuff you can buy just getting out and bargaining with people on your own is not worth it, that I saw. In fact, much of the stones in the Tana markets were plain junk compared to some of the lovely Ocean Jasper we've seen posted on this forum. I didn't really buy anything there I liked the quality of, compared to stuff I bought online from the folks who have contracts in Madagascar. Also, there is a permitting process for getting gemstones out of the country, you can't just fill up your pockets and hop on a plane. The conditions are primitive (fourth world, many places without electricity or running water) -- and I'm not kidding, I saw people living in huts that they built themselves, starting with having to make the bricks out of mud and the roofs out of palm branches, and not because they thought it would look good on TV. The wildlife and unique scenery is well worth the hassles, and there is somewhat of a tourist trail, especially if you speak some French, but I would not just show up and expect to be able to get good deals on gemstones. That's just my opinion. I would certainly not want to discourage you from visiting. The rare birds and lemurs alone are worth the trip. There is no substitute for visiting Madagascar for certain rare species, and they are easy to see once you get there. But I would not go there as a buyer unless I had a more experienced mentor to lead the way. Just my opinion, of course. Also, very irritating and unlike anywhere else I have ever been, if you DO show interest in an item and try to bargain, instead of going down in price, in Tana sometimes they pretend you misunderstood and actually try to raise the price after you've already stopped in the street to listen to the spiel. So I just never bought anything, except in the grocery store or else when my native guide was able to bargain for me. The grocery store was like any Safeway anyway, set prices, and they were quite reasonable. Oh, and the pharmacy and post office also had set prices that were reasonable. But anything you had to haggle for...as an English speaking person, I found it never to be worth the trouble. Know your basic French, especially numbers! This is mother and child in a park in Berenty, species called Verreaux's Sifaka. It is a kind of lemur. No one harms the lemurs, so you can get really close to these wild animals.
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Digforcrystals
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 351
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Post by Digforcrystals on Mar 10, 2011 14:53:57 GMT -5
I had the chance to go to Namibia or Madagascar. I did some researching and just as peachfront tells you , buying minerals there is usually not an easy or a good deal. I opted to go to Namibia and I feel like I made an extremely wise choice. I ended up going back to namibia last year and hope to go again soon.
For $4,400.00 I will drag you all across namibia. The stones are cheap and I do the export permit myself.
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