Douglas Merson
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flameryder.bsky.social
Douglas Merson
@flameryder.bsky.social
290 followers 240 following 580 posts
Amature mineral collector for 70 years. I specialize in micro minerals and photography of them. Wife and I are also involved with llamas and we each own one. We show them at local county fairs and several ILR sanctioned shows around Washington and Oregon
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flameryder.bsky.social
Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · Jan 12
This is my current photo setup for micromineral photos that I am posting
My photo setup for microminerals consists of a Canon EOS R7 mirrorless camera with a Canon FR 70-200mm zoom lens serving as a tube lens for either a Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X or !0X microscope objective. The 5X objective provides a 4 mm field of view and the 10X a 2 mm field of view. The camera assembly is mounted to a Stack Shot rail which is controlled by computer. The right-hand monitor shows the rail control program which is by Zerene Stacker. The control program is superimposed on the current IMA list of approved minerals. The upper monitor shows my Access database for recording the shooting parameters and where the photos have been shared. The lower monitor has the camera control programs showing. The lighting is by 3 twin arm LED lights with each arm individually controllable. Image processing is to Lightroom for minor adjustments then export to Helicon Focus for stacking. Final processing is done in Photoshop. The computer is from Puget systems with 3 4TB external SSDs for photo storage.
flameryder.bsky.social
The New Mexico Mineral Symposium wrapped up early Sunday afternoon. We spent the late afternoon at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Preserve. We saw lots of snow geese and sandhill cranes. We left about an hour after sunset. Photos are on my real camera no images until we are home.
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Spent the night in Cortez, Colorado. Drove through very scenic country along Utah 95. A number of stops to enjoy the views along the way. Spent several hours at Natural Bridges NM. Temperatures ranged from mid 20'F to low 70's and plenty of blue sky.
November 5, 2025 at 4:48 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
We spent the night in Baker City, Oregon. Had an uneventful trip with plenty of green and yellow woods. The yellow is from cottonwood trees and March trees. It is 27F this morning. Two time changes today, PDT to MDT and tonight to MST.
November 1, 2025 at 1:22 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
We are on the loaded head to Socorro, New Mexico for the mineral symposium. Will be doing some sightseeing along the way.
October 31, 2025 at 4:07 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
My micromineral photography is paused as we are about to head to Socorro, New Mexico for the mineral symposium at New Mexico Tech. Recently, we attended the Pacific Friends of Mineralogy symposium in Ellensburg, Washington.
October 27, 2025 at 9:13 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Manganoneptunite KNa₂LiMn²⁺₂Ti⁴⁺₂Si₈O₂₄
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.02 mm
#4011
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Orange manganoneptunite at center with a darker orange crystal below to right and several black crystals above it. The pink crystals at lower left are petarasite.
October 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Manganokhomyakovite
Na₁₂Sr₃Ca₆Mn₃Zr₃W(Si₂₅O₇₃)(O,OH,H₂O)₃(Cl,OH)₂
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.23 mm
#4010
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
A single crystal of reddish orange manganokhomyakovite, a member of the eudialytie group of minerals. The Poudrette Quarry is the type locality for the species.
October 18, 2025 at 9:45 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Magnesio-arfvedsonite NaNa₂(Mg₄Fe³⁺)Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.50 mm
#4009
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Two groups of dark magnesio-arfvedsonite crystals on a matrix composed of pectolite. While appearing black, the crystals are a very deep blue green on thin edges in transmitted light.
October 18, 2025 at 4:14 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Lepidocrocite) Fe³⁺O(OH)
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.36 mm
#4008
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
A mass of acicular lepidocrocite at center on a matrix of gypsum that is included with lepidocrocite. Similar material from this find was x-rayed to determine the ID as it similar in appearance to goethite.
October 17, 2025 at 10:09 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Lanthanite-(Ce) Ce₂(CO₃)₃·8H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.96 mm
#4007
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
Three sprays of white lanthanite-(Ce) crystals on a dark unspecified mineral with colorless to white albite at left and right edge.
October 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Labuntsovite-Mn Na₄K₄Mn²⁺₂Ti₈O₄(Si₄O₁₂)₄(OH)₄·10-12H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.99 mm
#4006
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
Two groups of orange labuntsovite-Mn composed of multiple tabular monoclinic crystals. The tabular habit is rare at this locality.
October 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Korobitsynite (Na,◻)₄Ti₂(Si₄O₁₂)(O,OH)₂·4H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.57 mm
#4005
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
The korobitsynite is the small gray aggregate of rectangular crystals on the unspecified green mineral that is at center of image. The colorless hexagonal prisms are fluorapatite. all are on a white matrix.
October 15, 2025 at 9:38 PM
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Kentbrooksite
(Na,REE)₁₅(Ca,REE)₆Mn₃Zr₃Nb(Si₂₅O₇₃)(O,OH,H₂O)₃(F,Cl)₂
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.29 mm
#4004
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Single orange kentbrooksite crystal at center of image. It had green aegirine crystals around it and is on a white matrix. Kentbrooksite is a member of the eudialyte group of minerals.
October 15, 2025 at 6:34 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Horváthite-(Y) NaY(CO₃)F₂
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.62 mm
#4003
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Blocky white horváthite-(Y) crystals on a matrix of pale tan rhodochrosite.
October 15, 2025 at 6:27 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Horváthite-(Y) NaY(CO₃)F₂
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.10 mm
#4002
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Two clusters of very pale beige horváthite-(Y) crystals on a matrix primarily composed of feldspar.
October 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Hercynite Fe²⁺Al₂O₄
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.04 mm
#4001
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Single lustrous black grain of hercynite in a white and gray matrix. It is a member of the spinel supergroup.
October 14, 2025 at 5:55 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Headed home from 8 days in Whistler, British Columbia, and this is the first sunny day. We still had a good time getting in 8 to 12km hiking each day.
October 6, 2025 at 12:29 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Kilauea is putting on a show now. Three live cams are streaming on YouTube.
#Kilauea #volcano
October 1, 2025 at 1:40 PM
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Haineaultite (Na,Ca)₅Ca(Ti,Nb)₅Si₁₂O₃₄(OH,F)₈·5H₂O
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.26 mm
#3999
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Yellow haineaultite crystal on a white matrix. The Poudrette Quarry is the type locality for haineaultite and this specimen is from the original type material lot used for species description.
August 29, 2025 at 10:09 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Gmelinite-Na Na₄(Si₈Al₄)O₂₄·11H₂O
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.97 mm
#3998
NFS
A dark brown smokey quartz crystal bridges a cavity with clusters of pale orange, thin hexagonal crystals of gmelinite-Na at either end. The right hand gmelinite-Na cluster has a white sphere of franconite on it. The matrix is composed of white feldspar.
August 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Gmelinite-Na Na₄(Si₈Al₄)O₂₄·11H₂O
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.69 mm
#3997
NFS
Multiple hexagonal gmelinite-Na crystals. They have a yellow cap over a dark core.
August 27, 2025 at 5:39 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Gaidonnayite Na₂ZrSi₃O₉·2H₂O
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.83 mm
#3996
NFS
Colorless stacked orthorhombic crystals at center of image. They are on a matrix of white albite. Gaidonnayite is the orthorhombic dimorph of monoclinic catapleiite.
August 27, 2025 at 3:48 PM
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Ferrokentbrooksite
Na₁₅Ca₆Fe²⁺₃Zr₃Nb(Si₂₅O₇₃)(O,OH,H₂O)₃(F,Cl)₂
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 1.49 mm
#3995
NFS
Orange ferrokentbrooksite crystal at center of image in a white to colorless feldspar matrix. The orange mass at lower left is also ferrokentsbrookite. The Poudrette Quarry is the type locality for ferrokentbrooksite and this specimen is from the type lot used for description of the species. It is member of the eudialyte group.
August 27, 2025 at 2:49 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Columbite-(Fe) Fe²⁺Nb₂O₆
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.85 mm
#3994
NFS
A black crystal of columbite-(Fe) at the center of the image. There is a fracture across the width of the crystal. The white to colorless matrix is albite.
August 27, 2025 at 2:02 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Ferroceladonite KFe²⁺Fe³⁺Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂
Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.96 mm
#3993
NFS
Green crust of ferroceladonite with small white elpidite crystals and dark appearing albite.
August 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM