Quartz - faden habit
stock #AX-25-006
Waziristan Ophiolite, North Waziristan
Kyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan
6.3 x 2.3 x .5 CM (cabinet)
price: $240
Pre Tucson
Textbook perfect, a gem clear faden Quartz crystal with distinctly visible central white string inclusion. The crystal is in the form of stacked and conjoined flattened sections most of which have aligned striations and all of which are flawless with no chips or issues. This style of faden Quartz is famed from several old European Alpine localities, but this level of perfection from there is very rare and typically very expensive. The amazing finds from Pakistan (Waziristan area) have been one of the great mineral discoveries of the past decade. The quality and quantity were enough to allow fine pieces like this to be far more affordable. However, nothing lasts forever and these Quartz are already becoming classics. This specimen was selected from hundreds found in 2019 for condition and esthetic presentation, it is far better than average for this find.
Fluorite - 2 intergrown spinel twins
stock #23.1-222
Hohenstein Massif, Omaruru District
Erongo Region,
Namibia
4.6 x 3.3 x 2.1 CM (miniature)
price: $1950
Pre Tucson
A most unusual intersection of two complete spinel habit twins of Fluorite. In outstanding condition, the crystals are all translucent and mostly transparent. Aside from a few tiny bits of Muscovite there is nothing other than Fluorite here, no matrix. The color is zoned with a light purple predominating but the outer edges are a deep purple and the core has some yellow to orange lines. This area of the Erongos has been the source of several great Fluorite finds. Each find has been somewhat unique and many habits were never seen again as in the famed Alien Eyes of 2007. This is from an incredible 2021-2 find of very distinctive spinel twins. Great in person and in a display with backlighting this is amazing.
Rhodochrosite with Aegirine
stock #23.1-727
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie
Quebec,
Canada
2.8 x 2.7 x 2.4 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $180
Pre Tucson
Rhodochrosite crystals clustered with a few slender Aegirine piecing the flat Rhombs. Classic form from Mt St. Hilaire showing the triangular shapes and flattened rhombs that are well-known from this amazing mine. I very good condition, no eye-visible damage and really no matrix either.
Grossular - Raspberry Garnet, older find
stock #23.1-728
Sierra de la Cruz, Municipio de Sierra Mojada
Coahuila,
Mexico
1.7 x 1.3 x 1 CM (thumbnail)
price: $380
Pre Tucson
A small thumbnail with big color, a cluster of the Raspberry Garnets from Sierra de las Cruces (Coahuila, Mexico). This is from the Larry White collection, it has almost no matrix and is just bright red Garnets with very nice luster and in very good condition. Larry obtained this in 2000 from NE Geological Supply at the Springfield show. This would have been the earlier find of this type of more vivid Garnets which were very exciting at that show. Larry had excellent taste and though small this is a choice thumbnail!
This is an exceptional and very unusual Brochantite from the famed Blanchard Mine. Two cubes of Galena are partly altered to Anglesite (small sparkling clear crystals on all faces) which is a fairly common thing at Blanchard. What is far more rare however is those faces are also overgrown with acicular Brochantite. The resulting green cubes (up to 1.8 CM across) contrast well with the Quartz and Fluorite matrix. We have seen Blanchard Galenas overgrown with Linarite making nice blue cubes but never green Brochantite cubes. A super distinctive specimen. Linarite and Brochantite often occur together at the Blanchard, however on this piece there is no hint of Linarite. A very attractive and important association / pseudomorph from this great USA locality. In excellent condition as seen, this piece is older, pre 1975.
Barite - USA classic locale
stock #23.1-729
Hartsel, Hartsel Mining District, Park County
Colorado,
United States
5.1 x 3.9 x 1.5 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $240
Pre Tucson
From Hartsel which is almost exactly in the center of Colorado, this is a stacked cluster of flat habit crytsals. The color is blue grey with a lighter hue at the tips and edges. The crystals are epitaxially stacked and this is in very good condition. Colorado has several important Barite locations, the three best known are Stonham, Book Cliffs and Hartsel. All three have very different styles of Barite. Very distict form and habit on this older specimen, an excellent example of a nice Hartsel.
Goethite - iridescent filigree form
stock #22.1-636
Hot Springs, Garland County
Arkansas,
United States
7.2 x 3.3 x 2 CM (cabinet)
price: $750
Pre Tucson
Delicate twisting strands, fingers and branches of Goethite with colorful iridescence. The patina ranges from blue and purple to red and yellow colors. This specimen and a few others of this style were found some decades ago. These have a very unusual morphology and are super attractive. The material was mentioned in the “what’s new†column of Tom Moore in the Mineralogical Record. There were not many and the source was the sale of an older collection in Arkansas, the Goethite was a one off find at a construction site. Unusual and pretty these are really a very different look for the specie.
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