Romanéchite collecting - another tale

If you missed the first part of my Romanéchite story read it HERE

Being hooked at the first time I commited to come back to collect more Romanéchite which just happened on another glorious day in February 2021 together with my wonderful counterpart. At this time I set out to try to dig deeper than last time but no matter how old and eroded the dolomite host rock looks it’s tough as hell and doesn’t give an inch without a fight. But I settled to do what had to be done and started chipping away the rock.

After a while I breached a sand pit which I knew is a good sign so I started to dig the sand out slowly hoping for some nice „floater” specimens. Well, they say that hope never dies. Neither did I but I was disappointed not finding anything in that approximately 20 x 20 x 30 cm pocket. Or so I thought until I encountered a black patch on the left side wall. It was attached on the top so I slowly and very carefully started to remove the sand around and below it not to break or shear it. In the end the roughly 14 cm long rod came to surface with its upper and lower ends attached to the host rock.

Well, yes - this is when the nerve wrecking extraction started… and all the thoughts and actions how NOT to break it. I was utterly careful but to cut to the chase it broke in half of course - it is a hollow tube which I couldn’t tell until it snapped. Thus after cleaning I glued it together and it became the Romanéchite specimen of my collection of which I’m most proud.

(Please not that the second photo represents how it used to stand in the pocket. The first one is how I like to display it as it reminds me of a seahorse.)