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7580:
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Muscovite, Arsenopyrite, and Quartz - $20 Reduced
to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
8.7 x 6.5 x 4.5 cm (3.4 x 2.6 x 1.8 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A matrix of muscovite balls hosts bright
and lustrous arsenopyrite crystals to 2.0 cm and translucent quartz
crystals to 4.2 cm. The largest arsenopyrite is broken along the back,
and the termination of the largest quartz is buried under the muscovite.
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7581:
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Fluorite, Muscovite,
Quartz, Pyrite, and Calcite - $20 Reduced
to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
10.3 x 7.7 x 3.4 cm (4.1 x 3.0 x 1.3 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
Opaque to transparent fluorite cubes to
1.8 cm lie on a carpet of small muscovite and pyrite crystals, all on a
nearly flat matrix. The fluorite colors depend on the lighting:
blue-green and purple under daylight fluorescent light (used for the
pictures), or blue and purple under halogen light. Under shortwave UV
light the fluorites have a bright purple-blue fluorescence. The quartz
crystal is 4.6 cm long, and incomplete. A few off white, thin, platy
calcite crystals are also present.
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7582:
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Fluorite and Arsenopyrite - $20 Reduced
to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
8.0 x 4.8 x 3.5 cm (3.1 x 1.9 x 1.4 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A group of most transparent fluorite
crystals to 2 cm along the edge runs along the edge of the matrix. The
fluorite color depends upon the light source: blue under daylight
fluorescents (used for the pictures), or purple under halogen light.
Weak indigo fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Also present are
arsenopyrite crystals, to 2 cm, with an unusual iridescent tarnish
(most Yaogangxian arsenopyrites are bright and lustrous). A few
fluorite corner cleaves are noted.
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7583:
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Arsenopyrite and Muscovite
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
4.8 x 4.4 x 4.1 cm (1.9 x 1.7 x 1.6 inches)
Specimen status: Sold
Sharply arsenopyrite crystals rise to
about 2 cm from a massive arsenopyrite matrix. The arsenopyrites have
well-defined cockscomb terminations, and a fine, bright, and silvery
luster; the golden or brown spots are reflections from my desk. (The
specimen is so bright these reflections are hard to avoid.) Also
present are a few patches of pleasantly green muscovite. One
termination chip is noted, otherwise no damage.
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7586:
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Quartz - $16 Reduced
to $14
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
10.0 x 4.0 x 3.4 cm (3.9 x 1.6 x 1.3 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A complete and sharply terminated, opaque
to transparent quartz crystal. From one angle the termination appears
to have a strong phantom (third picture), while the reverse reveals
this phantom to be another termination, lower than the first (fourth
picture). Minor ferberite, arsenopyrite, and muscovite present. Very
minor chipping at the termination is noted, otherwise no damage.
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7587:
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Arsenopyrite - $30 Reduced
to $27
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
6.8 x 5.6 x 4.5 cm (2.7 x 2.2 x 1.8 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
The surface of a massive arsenopyrite
matrix hosts sharp crystals of the same, which rise to about 3.3 cm.
The luster is not quite as bright as the best Yaogangxian
arsenopyrites, but their terminations are complete, and the crystals
are free of damage. The brassy patches seen in the pictures are
reflections from my brown oak desk; the specimen is mostly steely in
color. Minor chalcopyrite is present.
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7589:
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Arsenopyrite - $18 Reduced
to $16
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
3.4 x 3.2 x 2.0 cm (1.3 x 1.3 x 0.8 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A sharp and bright arsenopyrite crystal
cluster. The largest single crystal is 2.8 cm long. The crystals are
completely silvery; the brassy areas in the pictures are reflections.
Accented with a scattered, light dusting of fine, white muscovite.
Broken on the back where removed from matrix, otherwise no damage.
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7592:
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Fluorite - $14 Reduced
to $12
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
6.2 x 4.7 x 2.7 cm (2.4 x 1.9 x 1.1 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
Colorless, transparent, and icy fluorite
cubes to 1 cm along the edge, on a white matrix. Most Yaogangxian
fluorites are blue or purple; colorless fluorites are much less common.
Hard to photograph due to the lack of contrast between the fluorite and
matrix. Under shortwave UV, the matrix shows veins of bright blue
(apatite?). The largest
fluorite is included somewhat by matrix, but no significant damage is
noted.
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7596:
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Arsenopyrite - $20 Reduced
to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
5.8 x 3.6 x 1.6 cm (2.3 x 1.4 x 0.6 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A silvery bright and curiously elongated
arsenopyrite crystal. The two largest faces feature a plethora of
pyramidal growth features, like some Pharoah's overcrowded cemetery.
Small incomplete regions near each termination, but an interesting
crystal overall.
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7597:
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Ferberite, Arsenopyrite,
and Muscovite - $30
Reduced to $27
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
4.3 x 3.1 x 2.7 cm (1.7 x 1.2 x 1.1 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A cluster of bright, silvery arsenopyrite
crystals is perched aesthetically at the edge of a lustrous and
terminated ferberite blade. The arsenopyrites reach 1.6 cm, and the
ferberite rises to 3.7 cm. Incomplete along the base and back, but
these are hidden when the specimen is displayed as shown. In fact the
broken base allows the specimen to sit as shown without a stand. Minor
muscovite also present.
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7598:
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Fluorite included with
Jamesonite - $20
Reduced to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
4.3 x 3.4 x 2.8 cm (1.7 x 1.3 x 1.1 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
This fluorite group has slightly frosted
faces, but is mostly transparent inside. The color depends on the light
source: light blue under daylight fluorescent light (used for the
pictures), or light purple (nearly colorless) under halogen light. The
corners have a rounded appearance due to complex, stepped growth
patterns (not etching). A small cleave along one edge reveals that the
cluster is included with a few metallic needles, probably jamesonite.
One corner is cleaved, but otherwise no significant damage.
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7599:
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Arsenopyrite - $20 Reduced
to $18
Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
3.5 x 2.6 x 2.0 cm (1.4 x 1.0 x 0.8 inches)
Specimen status: Available Click
here to order
A sharp and
bright arsenopyrite crystal
cluster. The largest single crystal is 2.0 cm long. The crystals are
completely silvery; the brassy areas in the pictures are reflections.
Accented with a scattered, light dusting of fine, white muscovite. Two
small broken areas and no evident contacts, so this is a nearly
complete floater specimen. Displays well.
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