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Douglas Merson

@flameryder.bsky.social

290 followers 240 following 550 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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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.

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 18h

We are getting a double dose, PDT to MDT to MST. This is due to our trip to Socorro,New Mexico. Left Baker City, Oregon and now in Orem, Utah.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 1d

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.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 2d

We are on the loaded head to Socorro, New Mexico for the mineral symposium. Will be doing some sightseeing along the way.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 3d

If she is concerned about kids safty, she would pull her goons off the streets.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 3d

This time he will toss them in the Gulf of Mexico and hope the drift to Jamacia.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 3d

It is the puppet masters pulling his strings that are real culprit.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 4d

Hematite

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 6d

The worst is the GOP blatantly saying they are rigging elections.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 6d

We will be going via Capitol Reef National Park. So far, it appears to be open with reduced services. There is plenty of other interesting things to see in that corner of Utah.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 6d

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.

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 6d

He needs to get off his fat ass and get a real job.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 6d

The billionaires that voice support for the Democratic party want the same thing as the billionaires that support the GOP, more money and influence. Billionaires are billionaires and have no use for the 99%.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 7d

I gave up watching baseball. Hockey is the only sport worth watching.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 8d

Devil's Post Pile was the starting point for 2 of my multi day backpack trips through the Minerats back in the 70's. Went through Death Valley in February 2008 returning from Tucson mineral show.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 9d

I took a math class at our local community college. The instructor was a retired B-52 navigator who did not believe in wasting class time on tests, he sent them home for weekend work. They were hard even using text book, notes and any other references.

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 9d

His main priority is transferring as wealth as possible from the 99% to the 1%

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 10d

Wouldn't be surprised if that is a replacement , not fix in place job.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 10d

He is the bigger problem.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 12d

To trump, only billionaires that own him are representative of the country.

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 13d

Time to change the law so that nobody in the federal government from the president to the lowest level wage gad3 employee gets paid during a shutdown.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 14d

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.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 14d

Minerals were originally grouped by chemistry. As technology advanced, it was realized that structure had to be considered as well. www.mindat.org/strunz.php is a link to one of the systems used. to classify minerals. Another is www.mindat.org/dana.php

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 14d

This is the official list of approved minerals approved by the IMA.

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Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 14d

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.

Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · 15d

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.

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