SOLD Red Beryl
stock #SOLD 24.1-449
Violet Claims, Wah Wah Mountains, Beaver County
Utah,
United States
5.7 x 5.3 x 3.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $0
A small but perfect doubly-terminated red Beryl crystal embedded in white Rhyolite matrix. While this is only about 6MM in size it is sharp, glassy has some transparency with bright color zoning. These Red Beryls are unique to this area and are highly sought after. Larger crystals are quite costly and it can be hard to find a clean, yet affordable, specimen. A very good value for this rare gem crystal. Could be trimmed to a thumbnail but is nice in this size as well.
Sharp, complete and gem clear Topaz from the famed Thomas Range of Utah. From the collection of Les Hitchings, collected before 1970. A tiny bit of Rhyolite matrix is present as are many small sparkling clear Topaz crystals. The color of these is often described as Cognac and that seems about right, well above average for one of these, the luster is super glassy. An excellent value and far more impressive in person.
Tetrahedrite - classic Utah
stock #AC-068
Bingham Canyon, Bingham Mining district, Salt lake County
Utah,
United States
8.8 x 67.2 x 5.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $230
Well-crystallized sizable specimen of lustrous Tetrahedrite with some Pyrite as well. A rich chunk from the famed Bingham Canyon deposit, ex Schortmann Minerals. The label address gives a date range for this piece of 1937-1946 at their shop. It is clearly from the early era of mining. The area had several mines at that time which began in 1903, but in 1936 Kennecott bought out the previous operations and eventually this became one of the largest open pit mines in the world. This piece is quite choice, densely packed with crystals and was priced at a hefty $4.00 at that time. A lot of money in that time some 70-80 years ago!
Wardite and Crandallite - USA classic
stock #22.1-357
Little Green Monster Mine, Clay Canyon
Utah,
United States
6.3 5.4 x 2.1 CM (cabinet)
price: $290
Fall 22
A half nodule of classic Fairfield Utah Phosphate minerals. An older specimen from the era of Over and Montgomery (1930s) at the Green Monster Mine, this is lightly polished and shows well-defined banding of species. The white core of this is likely Fluorapatite but it has not been analyzed.
A half nodule from the famed Variscite locality of Clay Canyon. This is quite an unusual nodule, it has complex zoned "eyes" showing these three Phosphates in concentric circles. An impressive illustration of the sequential deposition and alteration of these minerals, the details are especially striking. With good magnification it can be seen that there are small open cavities between some of the rings which contain micro crystals of other unidentified species. An early piece from the classic finds by Ed Over and Arthur Montgomery. In excellent condition, the color is a little brighter in person, overall a choice and mineralogically interesting piece of a type I have never seen before.
Gordonite (rare Phosphate) on Variscite, type locality
stock #20.1-139
Little Green Monster Mine, Clay Canyon
Utah,
United States
3.4 x 2.7 x 1.9 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $450
New Year 22
A rind of tiny, glassy Gordonite crystals on a Variscite nodule that has a tiny bit of Crandallite as well. From the type locality in Utah. This is the type locality for this specie found during the famed excavation project by Ed Over and Arthur Montgomery in the 1930's. The individual micro crystals are up to 1.5 MM in size, which is fairly large for the specie. These are both isolated, free standing and in radiating sprays. Remarkably the main cluster of crystals extends across 1.5 CM which makes this specimen an incredibly rich example, very fine for this rare specie.
Topaz on Rhyolite
stock #21.1-336
Topaz Mountain, Thomas Range, Juab County
Utah,
United States
6.4 x 5.6 x 5.7 CM (cabinet)
price: $490
Late Summer 2021
A perfect, gem clear sherry colored Topaz crystal perched on a hard Rhyolite matrix. This classic locality is famed for Topaz and this is an especially choice piece with unusual perfection and no fading to the rich color. Even under 20x magnification this is undamaged. This does not have dark inclusions or interior cleaving lines inside as most do, it is eye-clean gem. This zone continues to produce a few nice pieces each year to dedicated diggers but the quality of this piece is far beyond most found. Most crystals of this size or larger are far less clear or even opaque.
A complete half nodule of colorful phosphate minerals from this famed, classic US locality. The nodule has a full mineralized edge rim in perfect condition with no chipping or missing bits which is most desired. The color zoning of the bright yellow to greenish Crandallite is especially distinct on this specimen, it has a clear separation line and contrasts well with the inner white and green interior. This piece is from the early excavations at this site by the legendary team of Over and Montgomery. Choice and better in person.
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