Romfilatelia on the occasion of the celebration of 100 years since the foundation of the Geological Institute of Romania, introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue MINERALS.
Romfilatelia, the company specialized in issuing and trading Romanian postage stamps, on the occasion of the
celebration of 100 years since the foundation of the Geological Institute of Romania, introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue MINERALS.
The mineral is a solid body, with a definite chemical
composition, which can be found in nature in crystalline
or amorphous form. Minerals form the rocks and ores, being represented by various chemical combinations and, rarely, by native elements.
Over 4000 minerals are known, among which silicates represent around 34%, oxides and hydroxides approx. 25%, and sulphides approx. 20%.
The minerals presented on the postage stamps of the
philatelic issue are the following: agate, amethyst, blende, quartz, fluorite, and stibnite.
Fluorite (CaF2) – fluorum in Latin. The crystallization
system is cubical. Very seldom it can be colourless or
coloured in honey yellow, green, violet, blue, having
sometimes one colour inside and another colour outside. It has a glassy glare. It is thermoluminescent and fluorescent. It is used as a fusing agent in metallurgy, in optics, in the chemical industry, as well as in the ceramics industry. In Romania, it can be found in Baia Mare, Măcin, Tulgheş, Brad.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 0.30.
Quartz (SiO2) – The crystallization system is
trigonal and has a great number of various forms.
By its aspect and particularly by its structure and colour, we have phanerocrystalline varieties: (rock crystal – colourless,
transparent, citrine – yellowish, morion – dark smoky colour, amethyst – violet, tiger eye – brownish yellow); cryptocrystalline (chalcedonia – variety of fibrous, superfine quartz, with various colours: onyx, sardonyx) and amorphous (opal – hydrated form of silica). Besides the feldspars, it is the most wide-spread mineral in the earth shell. It is used as a semiprecious stone, in the optics, computers, glass and abrasives industry.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 0.50.
Agate (SiO2), whose name comes from the river
Achates of Sicily, is a variety of chalcedony with regular
concentric areas, nicely coloured in various colours. It is used as a semiprecious stone. In Romania it can be found in Maramureş and Apuseni Mountains.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 1.00.
Blende (ZnS) or Sphalerite (sfaleros in Greek), is a
natural zinc sulphide, of yellow, green, red, brown or black colour. The crystallization system is cubical. It is used in the metallurgic industry. Deposits in Romania: Baia Mare, Apuseni Mountains, Moldova Nouă.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 1.20.
Amethyst (SiO2), amethystos in Greek, is a variety of quartz, coloured in violet, with bi-pyramidal forms, without prism sides or prismatic crystals, ending directly with
the rhombohedron. It is used as a semiprecious stone. In
our country, it can be found in Maramures.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 1.50.
Stibnite (Sb2S3) or Antimonite (stibium in Latin), has a rhombic crystallization system. Crystals are always
prismatic and oblong, usually with vertical striae. Often
they have the form of radially arranged sheaves. The colour
is blueish gray or even grayish black, with metallic gloss.
It is the most important ore, out of which the antimony
is extracted, which is used for antifriction alloys, printing,
in the rubber and glass industry, in pharmaceutical
preparations, metal fitting products. In Romania, it can
be found in Baia Mare.
It is illustrated on the postage stamp which has the face value of RON 2.20.
The philatelic issue was prepared with the assistance from the specialists of the Geological Institute of Romania.
Issue date: 2006-08-04
COMPLETE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
To place your orders, please contact Romfilatelia, the specialized company in philatelic trade, at the following coordinates:
Address: 28 Fabrica de Chibrituri, 050183, Bucharest, ROMANIA
Phone.: + 40 21 336 93 92/+ 40 21 336.93.46
Fax: + 40 21 337 24 48
E-mail: office@romfilatelia.ro
Web site: www.romfilatelia.ro