Cassiterite (twinned) on Arseopyrite
stock #7FE-131
Viloca Mine (Araca Mine)
Loayza Province, La Paz department,
Bolivia
10.8 X 7.4 CM (cabinet)
price: $1750
A very fine, esthetic and pristine example with very well formed twinned prismatic crystal. These are well positioned and free standing with excellent luster. Individual prism reach 2CM and the matrix is well crystallized arsenopyrite for a nice contrast. Nearly all Viloco Cassiterite comes out damaged, this large piece is a rarity as there is only very minor chipping at a a few edges that are not obvious, it is virtually pristine. Displays well from many angles.
Very esthetic small specimen of this well-known Bolivian classic! This specimen shows individual crystals and crystal 'bowties' of paravauxite on a thin crust of micro Sigloite xls. Sigloite is one of the rare phosphate minerals from LLallagua.
Native Copper
stock #9-128s
Corocoro
,
Bolivia
6.5 x 4.5 CM. (small cabinet/large miniature)
price: $75
Holiday Surprises
Nice dainty esthetic arborescent xline. specimen. Though Corocoro was a copper mine, fine native copper specimens were quite rare from there.
Bournonite on Siderite
stock #8.1-447
Canutillos
Potosi,
Bolivia
7.3 x 6 CM (cabinet)
price: $150
A very good combination piece consisting of 2 intersecting cogswheels of Bournonite surrounded by sharp Siderites with a flattened Rhomb habit. The underlying matrix is nearly pure pyrite. The Bournonites are damage free with a gunmetal luster and reach 1.8 CM. I mave not seen good specimens of this combination for years, this would be a good addition to a sulphide suite or Bolivian collection.
Something very different, eyecatching and surprisingly rare. A sawn and polished section of Amethyst crystals that exhibits excellent geometic zoning and color variations. The hues range from simple purple to violet with red to blue tones. This is an older piece dating from the early years of the deposit. This degree of zoning was not common then and more rare now. Since these are usually sought and used in lapidary specimens are not frequently seen.
Franckeite (var Potosiite)
stock #7-FE-193
San Jose Mine, Oruro
Oruro Department,
Bolivia
7.5x4.6 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $1800
Potosiite is the rare Tin poor variety of the rare mineral Franckeite, and was a separate species until it was discredited in 1997. It is still a very rare Sulfide with crystals larger than micros considered huge. From a small find of the worlds largest and best crystals at the San Jose mine, this is a top example with individual crystals to 1.3 cm. For this rare and ugly mineral this is a true killer and even esthetic! This was rated as one of the best 7 pieces found.
Vauxite with metavauxite and paravauxite
stock #7AE-196
Siglo XX mine, Llallagua
Bustillos Province, Potosi Department,,
Bolivia
13.4x7 CM (cabinet)
price: $600
Three rare mineral in well formed crystals on one matrix (with wavellite and quartz too) from the type locality. Excellent robins egg blue, lustrous xls of Vauxite densely encrusting this matrix with micros of the other species scattered within. This is about as fine an example of this mineral as has ever been found, and the matrix is far larger than most.
Cassiterite
stock #7FE-327
Viloca Mine (Araca Mine)
Loayza Province, La Paz department,
Bolivia
11.4 x 9.7 x 4.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $950
Classic, lusterous and gemmy cassiterites from one of the greatest sources in the world. A large 3- dimensional "knob" of pure cassiterite with crystals reraching 3.2 cm tho most are about 2.5-3 CM. These are the classic deep brown-black that shows with good lighting the crystals are translucent and have what look like light grey interiors. There is some chipping damage to crystals on the edges and some in the middle. This keeps the price down substantially even though the piece still displays well and could be trimmed to several fine minatures. Personally I think the size of this piece is great as is and has a fine impact despite the damage.
