Wir über uns
Wir über uns!
Die Firma Mikon und ihren Vorläufer gibt es seit dem Jahr 1987. Als Mikon GmbH seit 1993. Sie ist enstanden aus der intensiven Reisetätigkeit der an ihr beteiligten Sammler, und stellt die konsequente Weiterentwicklung einer engagierten Sammeltätigkeit vor allem von Mathias Rheinländer und Steffen Möckel dar. Das bedeutet, dass wir in dieser Firma nicht nur Mineralien verkaufen, weil dies eine schöne Betätigung ist, sondern dass wir (ebenso wie die später hinzugestoßenen Herrn Kübler und Bölling) aktive Mineraliensammler sind, mit einer jeweils recht umfangreichen Privatsammlung.
Doch neben den Mineralien stand schon seit dem Anfang das Bestreben im Bereich des mineralogischen Zubehörs die bis dato existierende Monopolstellung einer Firma aufzubrechen und endlich Sammlerzubehör zu erschwinglichen Preisen anzubieten. Das ist uns zuerst mit Estwing Werkzeugen gelungen, dann auch mit russischen Mikroskopen und letzlich über die Produktion eigener Artikel wie Plastikdosen, Faltschachteln u.ä.. Mittlerweile gibt es auch im Bereich hochtechnischer Geräte wie z.B. geoteschnischen Prüfanlagen.
Desweiteren ist die Fa. MIKON mit eigenen Niederlassungen in vielen Ländern vertreten, hier insbesondere durch die Fa. Shannon + Sons und Rough Stones in den USA.
Bei alledem steht auch nach wie vor die eigene Suche nach Mineralien im Vordergrund. Wir haben leider viel zu wenig Zeit, diese Tätigkeit in den Sammlermagazinen zu publizieren. Daher sollen hier von den vielen Reisezielen und Abbaugebieten, die sich mitunter auch in unserem Besitz befinden, exemplarische Bilder zu sehen sein. Wir wollen damit auch den engagierten Sammler zur Teilnahme an unseren Reisen einladen, nichts ist doch schöner, als ein Sammlungstück selbst gefunden zu haben!
Wir über uns
Mikon zeichnet sich ja dadurch aus, dass wir, vorrangig Steffen Möckel und Mathias Rheinländer, den allergrößten Teil der hier verkauften Mineralien und Rohsteine selber sammeln bzw. abbauen. In diesem Umfang ist das sicher weltweit einzigartig und auch der Grund, warum es fast alles bei uns wesentlich günstiger gibt als anderswo und wir in der Lage sind, zu jedem Stück die Story beizusteuern. Häufig wird man gefragt, ob wir zu einem Stück ein Echtheitszertifikat haben, nun, das braucht man nicht, wenn man das Stück selbst ausgebuddelt hat!
Nach langer Zeit haben wir nun angefangen Bilder der Fundstellen und Reisen zu posten, die all dies zeigen, sortiert nach Land und Fundstelle. Wer dazu Fragen hat oder uns einmal auf eine Tour begleiten möchte, immer gerne!
Mikon has one speciality over all other mineral companies: We collect app. 95% of all minerals and rough rocks ourself! That being the reason we are able to offer material offered elsewhere for an arm and a leg at a very reasonable price ourself. And we can tell you the story to each rock as well. Sometimes we get ask for certificates to our rocks, well, there is no need for a certificate if you pulled the rock from the ground yourself!
After quite some time we finally found the time to post pictures of all those locations we collected at (ok, some for now, all is work for the next years…smile!). They are sorted by country and mine. If you have questions or like to join one of our trips: most welcome!
Afghanistan:
Pictures 111-112:
Flying to Faizabad to start the trip towards Sar-e-Sang for Lapis Lazuli and alike.
Picture 113:
Airport Faizabad during the NATO operation.
Picture 114:
Faizabad
Pictures 115-117:
Jurm Valley on the way the Sar-e-Sang
Pictures 119-121:
Sar-e-Sang. Great hospitality as everywhere in the country. There is no hotel nor restaurant or such in town, but we got invited right away to stay at a guy’s house and whatever was available in food was served as well.
Pictures 122-156:
The trip up to the Lapis Mines above the town or Sar-e-Sang. In picture 122 you see the Hackmannite mine on the other side of the side valley as well. The main Lapis mine at the moment has that banded material and occasion Hauyne as well. Basically, all massive there, no crystals. Other places in the valley show the full series of minerals from Sodalite to Hauyne, Afghanite, Lasurite and Diopside.
The pictures show the underground operation, the dumps and slopes as well as the workers buildings. Always remember, mining here started more than 5000 years ago!
Picture 158: typical road in the Jurm Valley
Picture 159: Beside gemstones Afghanistan has an agricultural crop it sells for a long time: Cannabis…!
Pictures 160-168: Trip to a diopside crystal pocket zone on the opposite side of the Jurm valley, close to Sar-e-Sang. Intended as a “1-2 h quick look at some crystals” by a local miner it turned out to be a serious mountain climbing trip including free cliff climbing and crossing 5 feet deep ice-cold river with a bag pack full of rocks…for the Afghan miners indeed just a quick trip, I found it rather interesting…particular been not at all prepared for serious mountaineering. But got the crystals and survived it, so all fine!
Picture 169: bunch of Lapis we got at Sar-e-Sang. It was a full container load at the end and we got it at a great price and shipped really quickly, considering the war going on and the distance to the port in Karachi.
Armenia:
Pictures 170-179:
The start of our trip to Armenia is the city of Jerewan, the capital. Quite a vibrant place, great food, a nice hotel and very nice people. Here we start to see Obsidian, Turquoise and Tellurium-Gold minerals all over the country.
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Mongolia:
Bild 62: Our expedition team for a full 3-month Gobi Desert expedition with our collector friend Klaus Schäfer and the Mongolian team including a mineralogist, a geologist, 2 drivers and a mechanic.
Namibia:
Bild 61:
Kunene River, Sodalite Quarry. Nice carbonatite with sodalite and not much else. Operated for dimension stones on and off, but due to the far distance to the next port it is not economically feasible to really do anything. We basically collect smaller pieces that were not usable for dimension stones.
USA
Nevada
Most likely the very best spot for Callaghanyite and Nakauriite. Mostly together with Brucite Hydrotalcite and alike. The Callaghanyite crystals are superb, still micro however. We had the opportunity to visit the quarry on different occasions with the mine manager. Funny to note: He actually spoke fluent German, rather rare in the middle of Nevada. Unfortunately, the entire area this material occurred is long gone by now and no more finds of Callaghanyite have occurred ever since. At the time we thought we had collected more than anybody will ever need, but indeed it was almost all gone very quickly do to the superb quality and the splendid color.
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Bilder 15 – 21: All Linka Mine, the open pit situation as well as the surrounding. And of course, Mr. Jatzkowski and Mr. Rheinländer in action drilling for the blast holes with the old Atlas Copco Cobra 148 gas operated drill machine. It is the perfect tool for all exploration needs.
Bild 2: Majuba Hill view from the mine entrance. Here you find a great selection of rare minerals, most notable the Clinoclase that actually may occur up to crystals on 2 cm! We never found them that big (the only person I know of who did is a very lucky guy from Phoenix!) We did however found lots of them in like 2-5 mm size very sparkly in the main hall underground, careful in there, there are really big boulders up in the ceiling…and yes, the best collecting spot are the ones that are now loose on the floor, but you know…they got to the floor somehow…!
You do find a large variety of arsenates all in really pretty crystals and stunning colors.
On the way out, particular in the early morning hours, you will encounter jillions of rattle snakes returning home from the nights hunting trip!
Bild 4 + 5: Wheeler Peak, Osceola: View from the mine and the mine entrance. Starting basically right after the entrance you find Phenakite crystals in white up to 3 cm in size and a bit of Aquamarine. The Phenakite is actually quite nice and shows a good orange color under short wave UV. Occasional Foitite tourmaline needles are to be found as well. Stunning view over a typical NV valley!
Bild 13: Shows a lower adit to the Wheeler Peak Beryllium mine.
Bild 29: Wheeler Peak from the valley
Utah
Bild 3: Thomas Range, Delta
With a collector friend (Mr. Jatzkowski) on the way up the South West end of the Thomas Mtns. towards John Holferts claim of the Holfertite, Red Beryll and some Topaz. The Holfertite are really tiny yellow needles and you need some time to adjust your eye in order to see them. Great fun: they actually come with red beryl and topaz associated. What a combination!
I’m not sure about the current status of the claim, but it never hurts asking John Holfert for permission. Make sure you bring lots of water, that hill is bloody hot during most of the year!
Bilder 30 – 36:
More from Thomas Range: Campsite at the main Topaz Valley, a Pseudobrookite digging up in the hills in that valley region. We managed to actually find along with Pseudobookite crystals some tiny but perfect yellow Thorite crystals as well. Great stuff for the scope!
More from Holferts claims in terms of blasting. You actually have no real chance of finding anything without exposing fresh faces and a bit of explosives are the way to handle this. If you do so, make sure you have permission and someone with a valid license to use it. Now a days you are requested to have transportation papers as well and in order to purchase all, you need to have a valid mining claim under your name.
Bild 6-12: Lucin, Tecoma Valley
The pictures are showing the small quarry – open pit that used to be worked for the Variscite as ornamental stone. By the time we got there first it was long abandoned. Now you still find lots of material in a variety of grades including very nice small Metavariscite crystals in vugs.
Make sure you bring all you need when going there, no services around for like 100 miles, no gas or anything…the pure “middle of nowhere”!