A sharp, translucent, doubly-terminated stilbite crystal cluster in the classic bow tie formation. A small cleave point in the back where the specimen was probably removed from matrix, otherwise pristine. Sits for display as shown without need for a stand.

A glassy and gemmy topaz crystal sits atop a mound of blocky, opaque albite. This topaz is 1.2 cm across and is free of damage, except for some very tiny chips along the termination edge which are barely discernible under 10x magnification. Also present are a few 1 mm columbite crystals. Sits as shown without need for a stand. Could probably be trimmed to a thumbnail (with loss of the minor columbite) to emphasize the topaz.

A terminated tourmaline crystal is grasped by a terminated quartz crystal. The tourmaline is black and opaque at the base, transitioning to green and finally to light, translucent pink at its termination.  The quartz is nearly complete, with some healed and minor broken areas on the back.

Here is another fine ferberite miniature from the world's best locality for this mineral. The specimen features opaque ferberite blades with excellent luster. The longest ferberite blade is 3.5 cm and doubly terminated. Also present are colorless, lightly frosted but otherwise mostly transparent fluorite cubes that reach 8 mm along the edge, scattered quartz points that reach 5 mm, as well as a rich coverage if tiny muscovites. Normally I would remove the specimen's brown (iron oxide) stains, but in this case, their presence provides a nice contrast to the ferberite's starkness. Removal of some muscovite might reveal more ferberite. Except for the termination along one of the  smaller ferberite blades, no damage to the main crystals on this piece. The November-December 2011 issue of Mineralogical Record featured an extensive, excellent article on the Yaogangxian Mine.

A lustrous, doubly-terminated schorl crystal perched on a flat plate of crystalline microcline. One schorl termination is sharp while the other is naturally ragged and brushy (a cluster of many parallel terminations). The surface of the matrix plate is covered by many small microcline crystals. No damage.

From a mine famous for its golden barite specimens comes this flat plate of colorless, sparkly, translucent to transparent calcite crystals. Individual crystals reach 2.2 cm. A few scattered cleaves are noted on this specimen which is otherwise highly representative of calcite at this locality.

A T-shaped cluster of frosty, translucent quartz crystals, colored light pond-scum green due to hedenbergite inclusions. The inclusions range from microscopic to distinct needles a few mm in length. Each branch has one complete terminations; it is difficult to tell if the other ends are also roughly terminated (maybe healed?), contacted, or just broken.

Deep brown, translucent to opaque sphalerite crystals accompanied by bright and brassy pyrite plus a few dull galena crystals, all on a sugary dolomite matrix. The sphalerites reach about 1 cm in size, and many are incomplete. The largest pyrite is cubic and 8 mm, whereas the galena crystals are a few mm. Typical for this mineral association from this locality.

A shallow matrix cleft hosts deep orange-brown sphalerites, brassy pyrites, colorless quartz points, and a few colorless fluorite cubes. The sphalerites are translucent along their edges but opaque at their cores, with excellent glassy luster, and reach 5 mm across. The pyrites reach about 4 mm and appear to be a combination of cubic and dodecahedral forms. The fluorite cubes are transparent and reach 4 mm in size. All of this is accented with a dusting of sugary, opaque, tiny dolomite crystals. An interesting mineral species association specimen and typical for the locality.

This specimen is dominated by a cluster of translucent, colorless calcite crystals, which have a vitreous luster. These calcites exhibit a bright reddish pink fluorescence under either longwave or shortwave UV, as can be seen in the second picture. Minor dolomite, sphalerite, fluorite, and quartz are also present. No damage.

This doubly terminated aquamarine crystal is translucent in the center (due to inclusions), then transitions to transparent and gemmy at the terminations. The terminations are decorated with geometric growth patterns, and free of damage. The surface overall is mostly glassy except for the contacted region at the center (visible in the second photo), and the color is a pleasing light blue. A good Erongo aquamarine for the price.

This terminated aquamarine crystal is translucent to transparent. Most of the outer zone is very light blue, and has a silky luster due to etching and growth lines. The core (visible nearer to the base) is deeper blue and more transparent. The termination features a complex geometric design due to natural growth and etch features; hexagonal patterns are prevalent. The sidecar aquamarine crystal is also terminated. Minor schorl also present, the largest of which is contacted and incomplete. Overall no significant damage.