Ham Weeks Mine Minerals

Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH, Mineral Gallery Return to mindatnh front page. Click on image for larger view
The Ham and Weeks Educational and Recreational Area is currently operated by the Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society (MMGS). The site is leased by MMGS, and access is limited to MMGS members. This page is an alphabetical photo gallery of minerals from the Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, New Hampshire. (A locality specific photo set from mindatnh.org) 14 species, 31 mineral photos, 11 mineral analyses.
HAM WEEKS MINE Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2012 MMGS Ham Weeks mine field trip	Species: HAM WEEKS MINE Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2012 MMGS Ham Weeks mine field trip Field Photo: Peter Cristofono Notes:
ALMANDINE Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 5.5 mm crystal	Species: ALMANDINE Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 5.5 mm crystal Field Collected: Peter Cristofono - 2012 Photo A Peter Cristofono photo Notes: Peter suggested almandine is the most likely garnet species.
APATITE Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 5.5 cm specimen of massive gray apatite. APATITE Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 5.5 cm specimen of massive apatite. Short wave UV image.	Species: APATITE Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 5.5 cm specimen of massive gray apatite, two views: daylight and short wave UV. Field Collected: Don Swenson. Catalog No.: 1845 Notes: EDS analysis identified the species as apatite, but did not differentiate apatite-CaF vs. apatite-CaOH. Massive apatite such as this is easily overlooked on the mine dumps. Bright yellow fluorescence observed with short-wave UV as shown in second photo
FLUORAPATITE Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 8.9 cm x 6.3 cm x 3.8 cm	Species: FLUORAPATITE Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 8.9 cm x 6.3 cm x 3.8 cm Field Collected: Gene Bearss - 1979 Photo A Peter Cristofono photo Notes: A Large, gray, Mn-bearing fluorapatite crystal.
BERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2.5 cm crystal section - estimate	Species: BERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2.5 cm crystal section - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes: This powder-blue color is most common at the Ham Weeks Mine.
BERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 1.8 cm crystal section - estimate	Species: BERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 1.8 cm crystal section - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes:
BERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 7 cm specimen - estimate	Species: BERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 7 cm specimen - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes:
BERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 1.7 cm crystal section - estimate	Species: BERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 1.7 cm crystal section - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes:
BERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 1.5 cm crystal section - estimate	Species: BERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 1.5 cm crystal section - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes: Don said this yellow-green beryl color is uncommon at the Ham Weeks Mine.
CHALCOPYRITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 9 cm specimen with tape label. Chalcopyrite in pegmatite matrix. CHALCOPYRITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH tape label on specimen	Species: CHALCOPYRITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 9 cm specimen with tape label Field Collected: Unknown. Ex Gene Bearss collection Catalog No.: 1952 Notes: Label gives a date of 1990, likely when Gene acquired the specimen. The $2.00 price suggests to me that that Gene purchased the specimen, rather than self-collected it. A good voucher specimen for chalcopyrite at the Ham-weeks Mine.
CHRYSOBERYL Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 4.5 cm specimen - estimate	Species: CHRYSOBERYL Locality: Ham Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 4.5 cm specimen - estimate Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No. A Don Swenson specimen Notes: The Ham Weeks mine nis one of the few localities in New Hampshire where chrysoberyl has been collected. The yellow chrysoberyl is centered in a powder-blue zone of beryl. This association is common at Ham Weeks.
CHRYSOBERYL Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 7 cm specimen with lime-green chrysoberyl crystal sections and powder-blue beryl. CHRYSOBERYL Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Closer view of chrysoberyl crystal sections and powder-blue beryl.	Species: CHRYSOBERYL Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 7 cm specimen with lime-green chrysoberyl crystal sections and powder-blue beryl. Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No.: 1827 Notes:
CHRYSOBERYL Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 1.7 mm chrysoberyl trilling	Species: CHRYSOBERYL Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 1.7 mm chrysoberyl trilling. Field Collected: Tom Mortimer (1982) Catalog No.: u164 Notes: The lower (horizontal) leg of the trilling is partially obscured in matrix.
COLUMBITE & (SAMARSKITE?) Ham/Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 4.6 cm specimen of black sub-metalic columbite-samarskite in pink feldspar.	Species: COLUMBITE & (SAMARSKITE?) Locality: Ham/Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 4.6 cm specimen of black sub-metalic columbite-samarskite in pink feldspar. Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: 1742 Notes: Gene's label on this specimen is "Columbite and Samarskite ?" Field collected 1979.
COLUMBITE Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH 7 cm specimen of nearly solid columbite.	Species: COLUMBITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 7 cm specimen of nearly solid columbite. Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: Feb., 2016 MMNE auction specimen Notes: Right end of specimen appears to have some dark-brown, waxy, samarskite. Specimen weighs about a pound and is a single, irregular shaped, crystal.
COLUMBITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 3.2 cm specimen	Species: COLUMBITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 3.2 cm specimen Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No.: A Don Swenson specimen Notes: Specimen gives a weak response on my scintillometer, indicating the presence of some uranium.
MAGNETITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 4 cm specimen, massive magnetite	Species: MAGNETITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 4 cm specimen of massive magnetite with some orange limonite crust Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: 1801 Notes: A voucher specimen for the occurrence of magnetite at the Ham-Weeks Mine.
OPAL Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 5 mm field of view	Species: OPAL Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 5 mm field of view Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: ex Gene Bearss collection Notes: Colorless and pale greenish blue hyalite on microcline. A Peter Cristofono photo.
SAMARSKITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 3.5 cm specimen with massive black Samarskite	Species: SAMARSKITE-(Y) Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 3.5 cm specimen with massive black Samarskite Field Collected: Ralph Lingard Catalog No.: 948 Notes: Specimen is mildly radioactive. This specimen was collected by old-time New Hampshire collector Ralph Lingard of Raymond NH. It was purchased from Ralph at the Gilsum Rock Swap in 1996 for $2.00. An EDS analysis performed on this specimen in October, 2011 indicated Samarskite-Y.
SAMARSKITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 4.5 cm specimen with central zone of black columbite. Samarskite-(Y) is 1 to 2 mm thick resonous-brown zone on right edge of columbite, (yellow arrow).	Species: SAMARSKITE-(Y) Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 4.5 cm specimen with central zone of black columbite. Samarskite-(Y) is 1 to 2 mm thick resonous-brown zone on right edge of columbite, (yellow arrow). Field Collected: Gene Bearss - 1979 Catalog No.: 1742 Notes: Samarskite-Y verified by EDS analysis. A second analysis an XRF Analysis (pdf)) performed on a polished grain of the display specimen by Fred Davis also gave support to the Ham-Weeks Samarskite-(Y) identification.
SAMARSKITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2.5 cm specimen with unknown cream-colored oxide.	Species: SAMARSKITE-(Y) Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2.5 cm specimen with unknown cream-colored oxide. Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No.: 1486 Notes: This specimen is slightly radio-active. This specimen was previously in my display as Ishikawaite. However an October, 2011 EDS analysis and a Nov. 2, 2011 XRF Analysis (pdf) performed by Fred Davis showed this specimen to be samarskite. A Raman spectroscopy examination of two sample points on this mineral grain reported: Point 1: Fair match to yttropyrochlore, uranopyrochlore, ishikawaite. Point 2: Poor match to ishikawaite; worse match to samarskite-(Y); no match to columbite-tantalite/tapiolite. The Raman analyst noted that the Raman spectrometer gives poor, noisy, spectra for heavy metal oxides like samarskite, uraninite, and some columbite-tantalite series minerals.
SYNCHYSITE-(Ce) Ham Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH 3 mm fov. Amber Synchysite-(Ce) crystals. Horizontal xls on left are zoned on the c axis.	Species: SYNCHYSITE-(Ce) Locality: Ham Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 3 mm fov. Amber synchysite crystals. Horizontal xls on left are zoned on the c axis. Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: 1712 Notes: This, and several other similar specimens, were originally identified as parasite-(Ce). Reference: Rocks & Minerals Vol. 66 No. 2, March/April 1991, "The Weeks Pegmatite Mine" Smith & Bearss pgs 129-135. "Parisite, Ca(REE)₂[F₂\|(CO₃)₃] has been tentatively identified from the Weeks pegmatite by its physical properties (Bearss, 1994). It occurs embedded in feldspar with fluorite as small brown tapering crystals with a hexagonal outline and a greasy to glassy luster. The crystals react to heated hydrochloric acid, releasing carbon dioxide. They have a hardness specific gravity, and fusibility test that is consistant with parisite. The identity of the mineral has not been confirmed by X-ray defraction." Parisite is closely related to the synchesite mineral group. The previous inclusion of the parisite species on the New Hampshire list was due solely to the above noted occurrence at the Weeks Mine in Wakefield. An EDS analysis of this specimen was done in February 2010. This analysis showed the species to be Synchysite-(Ce), not Parisite-(Ce). For synchysite, the Ca:REE ratio must be near 1:1. For parisite the ratio should be 1:2. This specimen proved very difficult to yield a satisfactory photograph. Four stacks of six images were processed with the Helicon stacking software. This photo was the best result, but is still not particularly good.
URANINITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2 mm cubo-octahedral uraninite crystals with yellow uranophane.	Species: URANINITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2 mm cubo-octahedral uraninite crystal with yellow uranophane. Field Collected: Tom Mortimer - Aug 2011 Catalog No.: 1798 Notes: The specimen is highly radioactive, collected from pegmatite ledge. A. Smith & G. Bearss do not report uraninite in their species list included with their article "The Weeks Pegmatite Mine," Rocks & Minerals vol. 66, No 2, Mar/Apr 1991. However, A. Smith, Mineral News vol 18, no. 4, Apr. 2002, pg 2, reports an Excaliber Minerals analysis of a Ham-Weeks specimen of "thorian-rich uraninite."
URANINITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2 mm cubo-octahedral uraninite crystals with yellow uranophane.	Species: URANINITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2 mm cubo-octahedral uraninite crystals with yellow uranophane. Field Collected: Tom Mortimer - Aug 2011 Catalog No.: 1798 Notes: Specimen highly radioactive, collected from pegmatite ledge.
URANINITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 2.7 cm specimen. Black uraninite with yellow uranophane? and minor red feldspar.	Species: URANINITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2.7 cm specimen. Black uraninite with yellow uranophane? and minor red feldspar. Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: Notes: Uraninite verified by Fred Davis EDS analysis, (GB30), on polished grain from this specimen. Uraninite has only recently been added to the Ham-Weeks mineral species list.
URANINITE Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH 3.7 cm specimen. Black uraninite with yellow uranophane? and red feldspar.	Species: URANINITE Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 3.7 cm specimen. Black uraninite with yellow uranophane? and red feldspar. Field Collected: Gene Bearss Catalog No.: Off site storage Notes: Uraninite also verified by Fred Davis EDS analysis, (GB31), on polished grain from this second specimen.
URANOPHANE Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH 3 mm field of view	Species: URANOPHANE Locality: Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 3 mm field of view Field Collected: Bob Janules. A Bob Janules collection specimen Catalog No.: Notes: Identified by EDS analysis. The Al peak in the plot is thought to be due to electron scattering from inside the SEM chamber. The analyst stated: "Uranium does a very good job of scattering the beam."
URANOPHANE Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH 5 cm specimen. Uranophane aureole surrounding black uraninite bleb.	Species: URANOPHANE Locality: Ham-Weeks Quarry, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 5 cm specimen. Uranophane aureole surrounding black uraninite bleb. Field Collected: Tom Mortimer - Aug, 2011 Catalog No.: 1796 Notes:
YTTROTANTALITE-(Y) ? Wakefield, NH 2 cm field of view. Resinous brown yttrotantalite-(Y) ? in red stained feldspar	Species: YTTROTANTALITE-(Y) Confidence: 3 Chemistry: (Y,Ca,U⁴⁺,Fe²⁺)₂(Ta,Nb)₂O₈ Locality: Ham-Weeks Mine, Wakefield, NH Specimen Size: 2 cm field of view. Resinous brown yttrotantalite-(Y) ? in red stained feldspar Field Collected: Gene Bearss Owner: Tom Mortimer Catalog No.: u1498 Analysis: Yttrotantalite-(Y) suggested by EDS analysis . The initial consideration was for the samarskite-(Y) species. My samarskite group knowledgeable friend, Fred Davis, stated "I would be very hesitant to include a Ta>Nb mineral in the samarskite group." More analytic work is recommended for this specimen. Notes: Yttrotantalite-(Y) has not previously been reported from New Hampshire.