[NHCOLL-L:5511] marcasite disease

[Bob Glotzhober]

I need some help understanding better what has been called "Marcasite
Disease."  As curator of all our relatively small natural history
collections (circa 29,000 cataloged items) within our state historical
society museum, I deal with all types of natural history collections -
and minerals are one area that is not within my expertise nor training.
(But I keep on trying to learn!)

 

I recently had a visit by a couple of mineral collectors - who seem very
knowledgeable. They noticed in our exhibits that we have a nice specimen
of marcasite adjacent to a nice pyrite. It seemed logical as they are
related types. They said that having these in close proximity would
cause marcasite disease - eventually destroying the pyrite. This
concerned me, as specimens of both not on exhibit are also stored in the
same collections cabinet. Therefore, many specimens are within the same
cabinet, although on different shelves. I talked with a more
mineralogically knowledgeable friend, and he said he thought (though not
certain) that "marcasite disease" (not really a disease) affected mostly
marcasite and was now thought to be primarily a humidity problem.

 

Which of the above is correct - or are both somewhat correct? Do I need
to move my exhibit specimens to separate them, and if so - how far
apart? Do I need to re-shelf our collections so these are in different
cabinets? Or am I AOK?

 

Bob Glotzhober

===============================

Robert C. Glotzhober                           e-Mail:
bglotzhober at ohiohistory.org <mailto:bglotzhober at ohiohistory.org> 

Senior Curator, Natural History                        Phone
614-298-2054

Ohio Historical Society                         Fax      614-298-2089

NOTE: We are not moving, but we have a New Address

800 E. 17th Ave

Columbus, OH 43211

Visit our Online Collection Catalog at www.ohiohistory.org
<http://www.ohiohistory.org> 

 

Learn about dragonflies at the website of the Ohio Odonata Society at

http://www.marietta.edu/~odonata/index.html
<http://www.marietta.edu/~odonata/index.html>   

 

Great News! The Ohio Historical Society's museum in the Ohio Historical
Center is now open on Sundays, too! 

Hours: Thursday, 10-7; Friday & Saturday, 10-5; Sunday, 12-5. 

Free parking in the lot at the front of the building. For admission,
enter at the Plaza Level up the exterior steps.

 

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