Mimetite on Philipsbornite
stock #8.AE-991
Hat Yai District
Songkhlei Province,
Thailand
4.3 x 3 CM (miniature)
price: $350
A very fine example of the better quality Mimetite that had come from this area of Southern Thailand. There has been no more of this for several years and the area is considered unworkable now due to political problems. This is a lustrous sparkling miniature of glassy yellow crystals. This location is one of a very few great localities for crystallized Mimetite worldwide. Like most others (Tsumeb, Pingtouling etc.) Hat Yai no longer produces anything. Good specimens are fast becoming classics, and this is one.
Serpierite with Ktenasite
stock #8.AE-1006
Kamariza Mines, Aglos Konstantinos, Laviron Mining District, Lavreotiki
Attiki Prefecture Laurion District,
Greece
10.7 x 7 CM (cabinet)
price: $200
A bright, sparkling and very 3 dimensional piece of these two rare minerals from the classic locality of Laurion. Excellent coverage and color. Serpierite is a sky blue hydrated sulfate and the mid member of the Deviline and Rapidcreekite series. It is nice to have a rare mineral that is also cabinet sized and pretty since this is usually available just as micro specimens!
Galena on Sphalerite with Calcite
stock #8.1-437
Krushev Dol Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mts.
Smolyan Oblast,
Bulgaria
12 x 9.3 x 6.7 CM (cabinet)
price: $1200
This is simply a superb and esthetic piece with a killer arrangement! The base is a rosette like cluster of lusterous dark sphalerite crystals that are epitaxially encrusted with pearly calcites that add contrast and sparkle. Atop that is a mirror bright compound Galena cluster. There is some contacting on the back of the sphalerite where it was removed, but there is absolutely no damage on the display side. The main Galena is quite large -(7 cm at the widest point), it has fantastic bright lusterous faces. The stepped form and a few "melted" zones are what help set this apart. From almost any other locality this would be FAR more expensive, but since Madan is currenly very productive this is a superb bargain and a wise investment!
Ferberite with Fluorite and Muscovite
stock #6.2-883
Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang County, Chenzhou Pref.
Hunan Province,
China
5.8 x 3.6 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $450
A superb and esthetic Yaogangxian combo piece! The ferberites are razor sharp, super lustrous and undamaged perfectly perched on gemmy glass-like purple fluorite and balls of well crystallized Muscovite. Other than a corner cleave on one fluorite on the outer edge of the right side, this is pristine. For such delicate and slender crystals this is a rarity and certainly of competition caliber. The Ferberite looks a lot like more Azurite at a glance it is so lustrous with the uncommon tabular habit.
Fluorite
stock #6.2-581
Xianghuapu Mine, Linwu County, Chenzhou Prefecture
Hunan Province,
China
6 x 5 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $225
Fast becoming a classic, these are glass-clear modified cubes ((cubo-octhedral faces) from the 2004-5 finds at Xianghuapu. By naked eye this is damage free, but with magnification some minor chips can be found, this display well with just a sliver of matrix. This find was prolific and so many good pieces were found that the price was far lower than any other locale. It is now recognized as one of the top discoveries ever made and there is much less of this type to be found on the market. This one has the old price on it, this will be worth far more as the supply dries up.
Fluorite on Quartz
stock #6.2-790
Xianghualing Mine, Linwu County, Chenzhou Pref.
Hunan Province,
China
10x 6.7 CM (cabinet)
price: $320
The last thing the world needs is more green Fluorite from China, unless it is REALLY different! This is a different and interesting example of modified cubes that more like the material from Naica and older Dalnegorsk than China, they have the sharp and clear window face and are sizable at 3.4 CM. Nice mint green color and luster with color contrast on the matrix. Over all quite esthetic, tho there is noticeable damage on the periphery it still displays well. A good addition for a Fluorite suite, or a China collection as this is not typical!
A wonderful esthetic for a dark mineral like Bournonite is to be displayed on on colorful matix, and this piece does that well. Several sharp, prismatic and lustrous silvery crystals of Bournonite are well placed on a sparkling purple fluorite and quartz mixture. A few matted hairs of Boulangerite are in evidence as well. There is one Bournonite that is broken off (not very distracting tho) all the rest are quite clean by eye and only show some edge chips at 10X magnification. A very good matrix Yaoganxian piece and a good value.
Dioptase
stock #8.1-295
Tantara Mine, Shinkolobwe, Kambove District
Katanga (Shaba),
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
8.9 x 7 CM (cabinet)
price: $1250
An incredibly attractive mineral! Brilliant and lustrous crystals to 1.5CM with top color are packed in a vug that is rimmed with Dioptase and some blue Shattuckite. No damage to the display area and main crystals but there are a few tiny contacts at the outer edge of the piece that are not easilly seen. Really a killer for form and with bright, wet looking luster, this is a great value for the price. I have not seen anything of this quality in any recent lots from the DRC.
