WARRNAMBOOL GEM CLUB

    THE ALAN WOOD COLLECTION OF MINERALS FROM MT SHADWELL, MORTLAKE, VICTORIA.


 Mount Shadwell is mainly of interest to fossickers for the peridot which can be found at the quarry.

However there are many other minerals that have been found in the quarry. These include calcites, anorthoclase, aragonite, aegirine-augite  and over recent years, Ilmenite crystals. Most of the specimens are in the 'micromount' size, but a number of nice cabinet specimens have also been collected.

The specimens shown below are part of the Alan Wood Collection. Alan has been collecting at the quarry over many years and has an extensive knowledge of the minerals you can find at the quarry.

The Ilmenite specimens at the quarry are comparatively rare, being found in volcanic vents which are only occasionally uncovered by the quarrying operations. For safety reasons, fossickers obviously cannot be allowed to enter such vents and so the vents are bulldozed during the quarrying operations. However,after the areas have been made safe, specimens can still be found in the scoria where the vents had been located. Both Alan Wood and John Chivers ( members of the Warrnambool Gem Club) have good ilmenite specimens in their collections.

The minerals below have been photographed in natural daylight, using a 35mm macro lens on an E 510 Olympus digital SLR camera.

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If you are visiting Mortlake and wish to fossick or view Alan Wood’s collection, be sure to contact him as far ahead of time as you can. Alan & Jenny are always happy to help fellow fossickers but have busy lives! In winter they often head north. You can contact them on 0355992319.

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Aegirine-augite (fine yellow crystals on quartz & olivine), 50mm specimen

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Ilmenite crystals (loose)  scattered over a scoria base with calcite balls, crystals up to 25mm in size

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: This 'peridot' animal, an 'ant', is one of Alan Wood's many creations!

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: This 'peridot' animal, a 'scorpion' is one of Alan Wood's many creations

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Some Mt Shadwell Anorthoclase showing clearly tubular inclusions as well as the characteristic cleavage pattern, 40mm specimen.

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Some anorthoclase with pyrites coating 40mm specimen.

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: close up view of aegirine-augite

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite balls on scoria, field of view 30mm

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite balls on scoria, 30mm field of view

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite balls on scoria, fluorescent under U.V. light,  100mm field of view

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite balls and aragonite crystals clusters on scoria, 50mm specimen

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Aegirine-augite on quartz, calcite and aragonite on scoria, 50mm specimen

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Aegirine-augite on quartz, calcite and aragonite on scoria, 50mm specimen

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite on Ilmenite on scoria, 50mm field of view

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: A large (25 mm) ilmenite crystal, with smaller ilmenite crystals and calcite balls

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite on Ilmenite on scoria, 50mm field of view

Mt Shadwell minerals from the Alan Wood collection: Calcite on Ilmenite on scoria,  75 mm field of view