Scholzite - rare and well crystalized
stock #AX-10-712
Reaphook Hill, Flinders Ranges
South Australia,
Australia
7.8 x 6.3 x 5.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $650
Pre Tucson
A large, super dense and rich forest of sharp needle crystals covering matrix. Scholzite is a fairly rare Phosphate that is only seen in sizable specimens from Reaphook Hill (Australia). From the world's best find of this specie in the 1960 to early 70 era this is a modern classic and a super fine specimen. From all other localities Scholzite is usually only seen as micro specimens. Overall in excellent condition which is amazing considering the delicacy of this piece, bruises only at periphery. Crystals exceed 1 CM which is quite sizable. This fine quality is only available from old collection dispersal. Ex collection Ara T. Dildilian with label.
Siderite on Arsenopyrite with Quartz
stock #AX-15-254-(C180)
Nandan, Hechi Prefecture
Guangxi Province,
China
8.3 x 6.1 x 4.6 CM (cabinet)
price: $170
Pre Tucson
An unusual and very attractive Siderite from the last finds at the closed mines of Nandan (China). Ex Shields Flynn collection, the Siderites are especially bright and sprinkled on most faces with tiny sparkling Quartz crystals. The Arsenopyrite is also sharp, undamaged and has mirror bright metallic luster. These Siderites are noticeably different from this locality to the more recent find in Inner Mongolia and elsewhere. These crystals average 1-1.5 CM and have a honey yellow to orange hue.
Barite on Calcite with Pyrite
stock #6.2-909
Dachang Ore Field, Nandan
Guangxi Province,
China
4.8 x 4.3 x 2.1 CM (miniature)
price: $650
Pre Tucson
A quite usual and attractive gemmy Barite/Calcite combo from the Nandan area (Guangxi, China). We were at this less well-known mining area in 2004 and a few miners had just found these gem clear Barites, some with "Mercedes" style Calcites. We selected the best 20 pieces or so and quickly sold everything We never could get anymore like this and the mine has been closed for a few years. This piece came back to us recently and is ready for a new home. Like most in the find the Barite is not absolutely perfect, there are micro chips most of which are on the backside. It still looks great from most angles but is not for perfectionists. The Calcites make a great contrast and add a lot of interest. They are white flat discoidal type with dark Pyrite lines that create the Mercedes shape. The color and luster of the Barite are excellent and there are phantoms of dark inclusions that are almost certainly Pyrite. The small bits of damage are certainly unfortunate, (we never did find any without at least a little) but they are not a major distraction and keep the price a lot lower than if this was absolutely perfect. An excellent older vintage Chinese piece. The Nandan area had many small mines that were a very interesting source of polymetallic ores and some great specimen minerals. We miss it!
Andradite - Demantoid
stock #22.1-696
Black Lake, Thetford Mines, Les Appalaches, RCM
Quebec,
Canada
5.5 x 5.3 x 23.1 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $550
Pre Tucson
A fine mint green Garnet crystal with the unusual and quite rare flattened habit sits atop the matrix of druzy Andradites. The main crystal is just over 1.1 CM across and is complete, undamaged and in tabular form. From the finds at Black Lake (Quebec, Canada) about 20 years ago, this is far above the average quality known from this important locality. Black Lake Quarry was not very far from the larger and more famed Jeffrey Mine, but had a somewhat different mineralization. More Andradite than Grossular Garnets are known from here and the predominant color was green Demantoid. Good specimens of this quality are quite rare on the market, much less common than Jeffrey Garnet. In excellent condition.
Pyrrhotite - rare penetration twin
stock #14.1-100
Dalnegorsk, Kavalerovo Mining District
Primorsky Kray,
Russia
4.1 x 2.9 x 2.8 CM x 2.9 (miniature)
price: $760
Pre Tucson
Textbook perfect, complete and sharp this is an unusual type of twin for Pyrrhotite. With small areas of Galena and Sphalerite, this is essentially all Pyrrhotite. In excellent condition as seen, no damage at all but the usual tension cracks are seen as is typical though there is no repair or instability. Great golden patina and displays well from most any angle, a choice Dalnegorsk piece and an excellent twin Pyrrohotite. Since Pyrrhotite is generally found in hexagonal crystals, the penetration twin has 4 terminations showing with six sides on each end, all at 90 degrees from each other. This is only the second such twin I have ever seen.
SOLD Fluorite - zoned, new find from southern Illinois
stock #SOLD 23.1-263
Leadhill Mine area, Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County
Illinois,
United States
5.6 x 4.5 x 3.8 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $0
Pre Tucson
From a series of small finds at the Lead Hill Mines in 2022, this is a glassy, sharp and vivid piece. The zoning is the classic phantoms of cubic internal boxes. Color varies from deep purple to a light violet to almost colorless. There is internal Chalcopyrite as well but very small. The base and backside have cleaves where this was in contact but most of the specimen is fine. A few from this find had zoned fluorescence, this one does and has some zones of the rare red color along with more typical blue and white zones. For several years we all have been missing new Fluorites from the great southern Illinois districts, the mines are closed and mostly exhausted. This recent trickle of nice pieces are very welcome in the mineral community. They are also a bit different from others in the region and make a nice addition for any good Fluorite suite.
A well-positioned Zircon crystal dominates this thumbnail specimen from Bancroft, Canada. The Zircon from this locality are variety Cyrtolite and this specimen has a very well-formed red- brown crystal that is perfectly exposed and is doubly terminated. Ex Hitchings collection obtained in 1969. Slightly translucent the crystal is not damaged but on the backside is some contacting not seen from any display angle.
Anglesite on Galena
stock #16.1-370
Broken Hill, Yancowinna County
New South Wales,
Australia
7.3 x 5.9 x 3.2 CM (cabinet)
price: $180
Pre Tucson
Several well-formed Anglesite crystals are scattered on a nearly pure Galena matrix. From the famed Broken Hill Mines, the Anglesites are milky white, undamaged and well-exposed. These show the blocky habit well and reach up to 1 CM though 5-7 MM is average.
.jpg)
