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Riemvasmaak, famous for hot springs and fluorite and quartz combination mineral specimens (among other types), is located in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa 60 km from the small Northern Cape town of Kakamas in a remote desert-mountain wilderness area between the Orange and Molopo rivers, close to the Namibian border. Mindat shows the exact location of the mining area as 3 km from the village of Riemvasmaak.

The welcome to Riemvasmaak sign

The sign indicating we're close to Riemvasmaak and the hot springs!

A local villager in Riemvasmaak compliments Jurgen Tron on his pink sunglasses

A local villager in Riemvasmaak compliments Jurgen Tron on his pink sunglasses.

Mark Kielbaso and Jurgen Tron looking at material offered by the locals

Mark Kielbaso and Jurgen Tron looking at material offered by the locals.

Jurgen Tron selecting material inside a local dwelling

Jurgen Tron selecting material inside a local dwelling.

John Lucking watching Jurgen Tron select fluorites

John Lucking watching Jurgen Tron select fluorites.

Jurgen mulling over his options

Jurgen Tron mulling over his options.

Local is happy to sell a piece to Jurgen Tron

Local is happy to sell a piece to Jurgen Tron.

Jurgen Tron happy with his purchase at Riemvasmaak

Jurgen Tron happy with his purchase at Riemvasmaak.

Jurgen Tron looking at another lot of fluorite local villagers have for sale

Jurgen Tron looking at another lot of fluorite local villagers have for sale.

A little girl is suspicious of John Lucking's size

A little girl is suspicious of John Lucking's size.

The little girl's mother showing a pile of fluorite specimens for sale

The little girl's mother showing a pile of fluorite specimens for sale.

The little girl shows off some breakdancing moves

The little girl shows off some breakdancing moves.

Inspecting some more fluorite specimens at Riemvasmaak

Inspecting some more fluorite specimens at Riemvasmaak.

Leaving the village of Riemvasmaak, heading to the mining area

Leaving the village of Riemvasmaak, heading to the mining area.

Leaving the village of Riemvasmaak, heading to the mining area

Leaving the village of Riemvasmaak, heading to the mining area.

Parked in the valley below the locality

Parked in the valley below the locality.

Hiking up to the locality, looking back at the valley below

Hiking up to the locality, looking back at the valley below.

Looking north, toward the Orange River

Looking north, toward the Orange River.

Jurgen Tron lost in the bushes

Jurgen Tron lost in the bushes.

Still hiking to the locality

Still hiking to the locality.

The view of the truck and the valley floor from the locality

The view of the truck and the valley floor from the locality.

Arriving at the mining area

Arriving at the mining area.

A local mining cooperative

A local mining cooperative.

Consulting with the cooperative members about the availablity and quality of material

Consulting with the cooperative members about the availablity and quality of material.

The cooperative hard at work at the locality

The cooperative hard at work at the locality.

Mark Kielbaso and Jurgen Tron inspecting the ore reserves

Mark Kielbaso and Jurgen Tron inspecting the ore reserves.

Oops that's his foot

Oops that's his foot.

Mark Kielbaso using a big hammer for a small task

Mark Kielbaso using a big hammer for a small task.

A close up of the octahedron

A close up of the octahedron.

Look, it's an octahedron

Look, it's an octahedron!

A local miner showing off a large fluorite octahedron covered in mud

A local miner showing off a large fluorite octahedron covered in mud.

Mark inspecting one of the large fluorite octahedrons, this piece is featured in a later video

Mark inspecting one of the large fluorite octahedrons, this piece is featured in a later video.

A pocket open and producing material

A pocket, open and producing material.

Local miner is supporting ANC candidate Jacob Zuma

Local miner is supporting ANC candidate Jacob Zuma.

Fluorite and quartz in situ

Fluorite and quartz in situ.

Fluorite and quartz post extraction

Fluorite and quartz post extraction.

A small pile of vibrantly green colored fluorites

A small pile of vibrantly green colored fluorites.

A particularly large fluorite and quartz specimen

A particularly large fluorite and quartz specimen.

A quartz vein in the valley floor

A quartz vein in the valley floor.

Carrying specimens back to the truck

Carrying specimens back to the truck.

Giving some of the local miners a lift back to the village from the locality

Giving some of the local miners a lift back to the village from the locality.

Giving some of the local miners a lift back to the village from the locality

Giving some of the local miners a lift back to the village from the locality.

Mark Kielbaso holding a large green fluorite octahedron

Mark Kielbaso holding a large green fluorite octahedron.

We ran into another local with fluorite for sale

We ran into another local with fluorite for sale.

Paul Balayer standing at the mythical Pella fluorite locality

Paul Balayer standing at the mythical Pella fluorite locality.

A local miner at the pre-mentioned mythical Pella locality

A local miner at the pre-mentioned mythical Pella locality.

Paul Balayer's crew at the Riemvasmaak locality

Paul Balayer's crew at the Riemvasmaak locality.

Looking down from the Riemvasmaak locality

Looking down from the Riemvasmaak locality.

Looking down from the Riemvasmaak locality in another direction

Looking down from the Riemvasmaak locality in another direction.

Jurgen (one of Paul's men) has dug out and reinforced a nice looking adit

Jurgen (one of Paul's men) has dug out and reinforced a nice looking adit.

The most coveted material, green fluorite and amethyst var. quartz

The most coveted material, green fluorite and amethyst var. quartz.

Looking back up at Riemvasmaak as we descend into the valley

Looking back up at Riemvasmaak as we descend into the valley.

Amethyst and Fluorite, a winning combination

Amethyst and Fluorite, a winning combination!

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land

The Northern Cape's wild flower route through the legendary Namaqua land.

Good material on display in cases from a local mineral dealer

Good material on display in cases from a local mineral dealer.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

Prepared material ready for sale

Prepared material ready for sale.

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