Since its discovery by a teenager in 1859, thousands of specimens of lustrous black tourmaline crystals from Pierrepont, New York, have found their way into both museum and private mineral collections worldwide. Pierrepont is a classic American mineral locality and a popular site for field collecting, and the discovery of new collecting sites there in the past decade has only enhanced its importance. Yet no detailed scientific research has been published until now. The six authors represent a team with comprehensive skills to tackle this study, which covers the locality's history, geology, and mineralogy. The origin of the mineralization, the true nature of the black tourmaline, and the extensive suite of accessory minerals are presented in detail. The authors also resolve identification questions about the tourmaline and its many accessory minerals.

The Balmat Mining District in southern St. Lawrence County, New York, is a former mining site known among collectors for its highly prized minerals. For more than 100 years, it was one of the world's most important sources of talc and zinc. Because most of the zinc ore was crushed underground and brought to the surface for separation, only mineral specimens brought out by miners and geologists have survived. Outstanding specimens from both the talc and zinc mines, preserved in only a few collections, are featured in this book--many for the first time. Some of the fine specimens included are hexagonite, manganocummingtonite, groutite, calcite, sphalerite, and magnetite. With more than 200 photographs, this book is the first comprehensive description of the history, geology, and mineralogy of this important mining district.

This is the first published guide to Herkimer diamonds, striking quartz crystals, that includes all important aspects of interest to anyone curious about this unique form of the mineral quartz. Over 210 vivid color images of important specimens, associated minerals, and field shots illustrate the informative text and enhance the reader's experience. The text includes the most recent scientific information regarding Herkimer diamonds' geological and mineralogical history, where they can currently be found, descriptions of important historic locations, and the inclusion of noteworthy peripheral localities. The specific methods used to effectively field collect Herkimer diamonds are detailed, including photos of mining methods and a discussion of collecting strategy. Additionally, the mines are enumerated, the gear readers need is detailed, specimen preparation, mineral collections, and associated minerals recounted. This is the essential guide for every collector of these well known and much sought minerals, a guide only a seasoned field collector can provide.