The
book "Valzergues fluorite mine"
E.
Guillou-Gotkovsky
Comments
How
to get the book
| FRANCE : In the world Pantheon of the layers of this beautiful mineral which is the fluorite and which have a great modern importance in the industry in particular in France, Valzergues are the name of an old mine with modest quantity but with the name in charge of prestige because of its splendid yellow crystals, and of the thesis of doctorate of mineralogy of George Calas who made date in 1971 by identifying there the processes of colouring if varied fluorite. The book is well structured and rests on a really exhaustive bibliographical compilation of geology, mineralogy and metallogeny, a patient research of testimonys, d'iconography old and crystals of private collections, and an illustrated report of the still accessible galleries. It's at the same time an encyclopaedia and a homage paid not only to the fluorite of Valzergues, but also to the romantic landscapes of the mine, with the men, women and children who devoted a part of their life to it since 1927, with the fluorite in general and the famous mining district of Rouergue in particular. It's one of the first works to give clear explanations on the use of the fluorite like metallurgy flux illustrated by a rich person old iconography. It in general gives also a panorama well documented of the genesis of the fluorinated seams and colouring of the crystals, resting on the most recent advanced scientists.
The luxury and the
care of the provider are with the height of the pleasure of having an exhaustive
work, of relevance and on a subject at the same time set of themes and regional,
these advantages largely justifying the price. The book, illustrated many rare
quality photographs, is accessible to the largest people as with most demanding.
By his scholarship and his love of the mines and especially of the Men who do
them, Etienne Guillou gives to the mining job a developing image of the mineral
collectors and the mining archaeologists (professional or beginners) which reconciles
the points of view and proves the complementarities.
" Fluorite, mine of Valzergues, yellow seam, add to these things a good amount of passion, a peel the serious one, a large research task, the blind and simple faith, print overall on art paper shining, connect the whole, equip the jacket and you obtain a reference work de in the fields of mineralogy and of the story of mining Frenchwoman entitled: The Mine of Fluorite of Valzergues (Aveyron)... Excuse the a little commercial language, but this work is undoubtedly the best produced mineralogical and mining bibliophilism French of this end of century for his report/ratio quality/price "
…see also the " Revue de Gemmologie " n°140 - Juillet 2000
U.S.A. : "
…The author has scoured France for rare documents, old photos, research material
and the best specimens in order to create this excellent book, which was clearly
a labor of love … …Well published in large format on high quality paper,
this book is a fine contribution to the litterature of important localities. It
will surely establish Valzergues as one of France's premier fluorite occurrences
along with such other famous French occurrences as Fontsante, Beix and Chamonix.
"
"
… Etienne is a fanatical lover of fluorite and he has devoted a lot of time
and work to the former mine of Valzergues. This enthusiasm shows in the book which
is a superb production from the point of view of both the contents and the physical
construction. " See also " The Journal of Gemmology " - Vol.27 n°5 - January 2001
GERMANY : «
Filon Jaune », der « Gelbe Gang » von Valzergues. Bis 10 Meter
große Drusen !1989 die berühmten bernsteinfarbenen Fluorite : «
Honigspat » - Würfel bis 28 cm Kantenlänge. 1996 dann der größte
Fluorit : 37 x 22 x 18 cm und 90 Kilo schwer ! Dazu wunderschöne klare Durchdringungszwillinge…(
…) |
