| 6234: |
Vanadinite and Goethite - $15 Four Man Mine, near Taouz, Morocco 3.9 x 2.5 x 1.7 cm (1.5 x 1.0 x 0.7 inches) Deep red, lustrous, tabular vanadinites to 3 mm on contrasting goethite matrix. Most of the vanadinites are perpendicular, or nearly so, to the matrix. From an unusual locality, which derives it name from the small crew that mines it. A few broken vanadinites, but the vast majority are pristine. |
| 6377: |
Adamite - Sold Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico 3.2 x 3.1 x 1.6 cm (1.3 x 1.2 x 0.6 inches) A single, light yellow adamite crystal group without matrix. The edges reveals the radial crystal structure. No damage. |
| 6421: |
Fluorite - Sold Felix Mine, Azusa, Los Angeles County, California 5.6 x 4.8 x 4.2 cm (2.2 x 1.9 x 1.7 inches) Complex fluorite octahedra with stepped growth faces. The largest individual fluorite crystal is 3.4 cm across. My camera did not capture the true glowing, minty green color of this specimen. Cleaved and contacted somewhat around the edges, but no damage to the display face. A fine example from the Felix Mine, which is now all but inaccessible due to housing construction, so fine fluorites from this locality will become increasingly harder to find. |
| 6631: |
Stilbite - Sold Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India 14.4 x 8.1 x 4.8 cm (5.7 x 3.2 x 1.9 inches) India produces (literally) tons of zeolite mineral specimens, and most do not catch my attention. This aesthetic pillar is studded with silky, creamy stilbite crystal clusters which reach 2.1 cm across, on a fuzzy matrix. A few clusters have minor edge wear on the tips, giving them a slightly frosted appearance, but this does not detract from the overall effect. |
| 6693: |
Dravite - $14 Luc Yen, Yen Bai Province, Vietnam 3.4 x 1.9 x 1.8 cm (1.3 x 0.7 x 0.7 inches) A doubly terminated dravite tourmaline crystal with deep root beer color. One termination has a bit of a bruise while the other has some natural etch pits, but otherwise little or no damage (third picture). |
| 6734: |
Barite - $36 Huarihuayin, Miraflores, Huanuco, Peru 4.8 x 4.4 x 2.0 cm (1.9 x 1.7 x 0.8 inches) A golden brown, tabular barite crystal group, more transparent than translucent. The individual barite crystals are about 6 mm thick. Two of the smallest terminations is chipped, otherwise free of damage. |
| 6827: |
Cavansite, Calcite, and Stilbite - $45 Wagholi Quarry, near Poona, Maharashtra, India 6.8 x 4.8 x 3.3 cm (2.7 x 1.9 x 1.3 inches) This four layer specimen features a dark basalt base, coated with white microcrystalline material (probably mordenite), then a coating of stilbite blades. On top of this is a deep blue 9 mm cavansite ball and a cluster of three light yellow calcite crystals. The cavansite ball is decorated with tiny colorless stilbites, and is undamaged. The calcite cluster is pleasantly frosty, and 4.2 cm across. A few inconsequential nicks on the calcites. An excellent cavansite and calcite combination specimen. |
| 6849: |
Calcite in Snail Shell Fossil - $48 Ruck's Pit, Fort Drum, Okeechobee County, Florida 7.0 x 6.0 x 5.0 cm (2.8 x 2.4 x 2.0 inches) Golden yellow calcite crystals fill a fossil shell. (I'm not a fossil expert; I assume this is a snail shell.) Ruck's Pit was a prolific source of calcite filled fossils, but it is now flooded and inaccessible. These specimens are very popular, so expect supplies to diminish and prices to rise in the near future. |
| 7067: |
Quartz, Sphalerite, and Pyrite - Sold Alimon Mine, Cerro de Pasco, Alcides Carrión Province, Pasco Department, Peru 8.2 x 6.2 x 5.1 cm (3.2 x 2.4 x 2.0 inches) The specimen features a
cluster of water-clear quartz needles bursting
from a sphalerite crystal matrix. Most of the quartzes are terminated
(some around the periphery are broken), and the longest reaches 4 cm
(third picture). The base is a group lustrous, black sphalerite
crystals, which reach about 2 cm across. Minor chalcopyrite also
present. This is an aesthetic and choice "Peruvian porcupine." Sits
well for display.
|
| 7245: |
Barite - Sold Huarihuayin, Miraflores, Huanuco, Peru 6.3 x 5.5 x 3.3 cm (2.5 x 2.2 x 1.3 inches) A 5.4 cm, transparent golden brown barite crystal with a bit of matrix. The barite is well terminated. The base is broken but this does not detract from the overall specimen. Sits for display without a stand (first picture), but more display angles are possible if the matrix is trimmed a bit. A very nice and affordable example from the recent finds. |
| 7375: |
Magnetite and Calcite - $7 New Idria District, San Benito County, California 4.9 x 2.4 x 1.9 cm (1.9 x 0.9 x 0.7 inches) Irregular, flattened magnetic crystals rise from matrix. The largest magnetite is 5 mm across. Two magnetites have some termination damage. This aesthetically challenged specimen won't win any awards, but it is a good California locality piece. |
| 7385: |
Tourmaline - $10 Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan 2.2 x 2.0 x 1.2 cm (0.9 x 0.8 x 0.5 inches) This sharply terminated tourmaline has a deep green base, a gemmy green cap, and is accented with a little cleavelandite. A few very tiny chips along the edge of the termination (hardly visible at 10x), otherwise no damage. |
