Turtschi dolomite deposit, Giessen, Binntal, Wallis, Switzerland

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(text and pictures by Frank de Wit)

(Click on the thumbnail to see a 1990-panorama of the locality (75 Kb))

We wrote a small article on the famous Turtschi dolomite outcrop in the Binntal, see below for more details.
Turtschi is the type locality for Giessenit, and was also the only locality for a long time.
We did intensive research here for the last about 15 years; every summer we worked multiple cubic meters of Dolomit-rock. In 2001 we even found waterclear Quartz-crystals to 2 cm in length, and in earlier years also nice Molybdanit-3R-xx, Giessenit-izoklakeit-xx, Tetraedrit-Tennantit-xx, Geokronit-Sb-Jordanit, Bournonit-Seligmannit etc...

It is possible to find the following minerals here:
Sphalerit, Tetraedrit-Tennantit, Galenit, Molybdenit-3R, Bournonit-Seligmannit, Aikinit, Dufrenoysit, Geokronit/Sb-Jordanit, Boulangerit, Cosalit, Giessenit-izoklakeit, Quartz, Rutil, Calcit, Dolomit, Cerussit, Malachit, Baryt, Wulfenit, Apatit, Dravit, Muskowit, Phlogopit, Hyalophan/Adular and Plagioklas.

See this pictures...

It's now forbidden to look for minerals here! It is said that rocks have fallen from the wall on cars in front of the wall...

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If you're searching for mineralogical articles on this locality:
* smpm-1963-471-Graeser-Giessenit, ein neues Pb-Bi-Sulfosalz aus dem Dolomit des Binnatales, Schweiz
* smpm-1964-121-Graeser-Uber Funde der neuen rhomboedrischen MoS2-Modification (Molybdänit-3R) und von Tungstenit in der Alpen
* smpm-1965-597-Graeser-Die Mineralfundstellen im Dolomit des Binnatales
* aufschluss-1982-375-Graeser-Molybdänit-3R
* canmin-1986-01-Harris-Izoklakeite, a new mineral species from Izok Lake, Northwest Territories
* canmin-1986-19-Graeser-Giessenite from Giessen near Binn, Switzerland
etc..), please contact us...

Pdf-ed articles on Turtschi:
- gea-1993-04-137 (953 Kb)

To buy the magazines in which these articles where published, please contact Gea.

Also see: binn.strahlen.org, Mineralienatlas

Mindat.org on this location.

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