American geologists Jesse Fisher(Left) and his wife Joan Kureczka from San Francisco who run their own fluorspar mine in Weardale Co. Duram for 6 months out of the year for a holiday venture. We ask jesse and joan some questions,

Where are you from?

Joan grew up in North Tonawanda, near Buffalo, New York. I grew up all

over the place, my father was military.

What are you excited for?

Right now, the morning coffee. And playing music together.

Favorite Gem or Mineral?

Silicates. Spent a lot of time studying them as a geology student. And

they’re often colorful and gemmy, says Joan.

Why did you start collecting?

Jesse: When I was young what passed as family vacations would often be

a cross-country road when my father was transferred to a new posting.

Along the way were numerous stops at national parks for sightseeing.

There were usually plenty of gift shops specifically designed to extract

money from visitors by offering pretty (but generally useless) souvenirs.

Among the items on offer were usually various rock and mineral

specimens, which I found immediately fascinating, and undoubtedly

pestered my parents to buy for me. Sometimes they indulged me, perhaps

for no other reason than to shut me up for a while. Thus it began.

Joan: I had a little collection of minerals, agates, and self-collected fossils

from an early age. Would always make a beeline to the mineral collections

at museums.

What is your collection focus?

Silicates such as feldspars, and other rock-forming minerals. Perhaps a

hang-over from too many courses in igneous petrology when during

university. A second interest is fluorite, likely the result of a prolonged

involvement with a muddy hole in the ground in Northern England.

How long have you been collecting?

As mentioned, it all started when I was very young (mid 1960s to be exact).

Same for Joan.

Photos(of you and your favorite specimens).

A couple photos are attached

Interesting Story?

Jesse: Have had a pretty boring life, really. Never been abducted by

aliens, or even seen a UFO. I did once fall victim to the idea of having my

own mine for mineral specimens. Sinking a lot of money and 18 years of

work and travel into the process finally convinced me that it wasn’t a viable

long-term lifestyle. I must be a slow learner. I did find a few good pubs,

attended a bunch of music festivals, and racked up a lot of frequent flyer

miles, however.

Any Family lineage?

Small families, no one ever did anything to merit being famous (or infamous

for that matter), at least that we are aware of. And we think we are the only

ones who ever developed a mineral collecting affliction. Although Jesse’s

oldest sister was once gifted some specimens by John Sinkankas.