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| FRANCE : In the Pantheon world of the mines, this beautiful mineral that is the fluorite has a huge importance in the industry, in particular in France. Valzergues is the name of an old mine with modest quantity but this name is in charge of prestige because of its splendid yellow crystals, and because of the mineralogy ph.D of George Calas in 1971 in which he identified the various processes of colouring for the fluorite. The book is well structured and represents a really exhaustive bibliographical compilation of geology, mineralogy and metallogeny, a patient research of testimonies, a research of old iconography and a research of crystals in private collections. It is an illustrated report about the galleries that are still accessible. It's at the same time an encyclopaedia and a tribute paid not only for the fluorite of Valzergues, but also for the romantic landscapes of the mine, for the men, women and children who devoted a part of their life within the fluorite exploitation and in the famous mining district of Rouergue, in particular. It's one of the first books that gives clear explanations on the use of the fluorite in metallurgy; These explanations are illustrated by a rich old iconography. It also gives a panorama well-documented about the genesis of the fluorinated deposits and crystal colouring. It is based on the recent progress of the scientists. The luxury and the care brought by the provider contribute to the pleasure of having an exhaustive work about a subject setting at the same time themes and region. These advantages justify largely the price. The book, illustrated by many pictures of a rare quality, is accessible to the largest part of people. 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 small commercial language, but this work is undoubtedly the best produced mineralogical and mining bibliophilism French of this end of century for his ratio quality/price "
... also to be seen :" Revue de Gemmologie " n°140 - July 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.
"
ENGLAND : "
… 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 :
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