SNW1 Scheelite on Muscovite

Mixed Minerals

SNW1 Scheelite on Muscovite,

Ping Wu Co., Sichuan Prov., China

8.9x 5.1x 4.3 cm

$385

A cabinet specimen, with 6 perfect scheelite octahedrons to 3 cm from tip to tip, arranged linearly on a matrix covered by muscovite. None of the crystals are damaged in any way, and the light orange octahedrons are actually somewhat gemmy. A choice cabinet from the locality that has been producing the world's best scheelite. Sawn around the edges.

SNW2 Scheelite on Muscovite,

Ping Wu Co., Sichuan Prov., China

7.1x 4.2x 3.3 cm

$300

Another specimen of this calcium tungstate, with a single orange octahedron aesthetically perched on a muscovite covered matrix. There is no damage at all--the crystal is complete, and the muscovite is sharp. A choice specimen from the locality that has been producing the world's best scheelite.

CET1 Cerussite

Tsumeb Mine, Otjikoto Region, Namibia

4.7x 3.5x 2.1 cm

$385

A nice cerrusite twin from this classic locality. The "snowflakes" from Tsumeb are world-famous and highly sought after, but are unfortunately getting more difficult to find with time. I've had this one in my personal collection for a few years. There is a contact on the reverse, but the piece is perfect and undamaged.

NEP1 Neptunite

Benitoite Mine, San Benito Co., California, United States

3.2x 2.6x 1.5 cm

$275

A lustrous neptunite crystal from a now closed mine. The double terminated crystal measures about 3.2 cm, quite large for the species. Although seemingly black, in person it is possible to see small flashes of red here and there--the true color of these neptunites. A very choice miniature, of material that will only get more scarce with time.

RBY1 Corundum var. Ruby

Jagdalek, Afghanistan

4.0x 3.1x 2.3 cm

$375

Repaired

A well exposed, translucent ruby with excellent color. The crystal measures just over 2 cm, and is doubly terminated. Large crystals like this were never common, and these Afghan pieces are getting harder to find. Quite frankly, this is a bargain because of the repair--but it has been done cleanly as is practically impossible to tell.

ATD8 Dioptase

Altyn Tjube, Karganda Oblast', Kazakhstan (Type Locality)

10.6x 5.9x 3.7 cm

$235

A large cabinet dioptase from the type locality. There are many crystals scattered around the display face, and more on the side. Usually these Altyn Tjube specimens are just jumbles of crystals on matrix, but this specimen has many individually distinguishable crystals.

WUBR1 Tourmaline var. Elbaite

Repaired

Paprock, Kunnar, Afghanistan

10.6x 5.9x 3.7 cm

$345

A large cabinet specimen, with three terminated rubellite crystals nestled among the terminations of several gray quartz crystals. The quartz is pointing towards the camera, so you can't really see the points. The middle tourmaline has an etched termination, and the other two have light green bands. This piece has been repaired, but it has been done cleanly and it would be difficult to see if you did not know in advance. Better in person.

NCT1 Torbernite

Lawson Mine, Spruce Pine District, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, United States

27.8x 14.0x 3.8 cm

$285

North Carolina uranium is hard to get in any quality or size, but this is a LARGE plate of the stuff. The display face is richly sprinkled with torbernite crystals. The picture of the whole specimen doesn't really show the amount of torbernite on the piece, but you can get an idea of what one of the richer areas is like from the bottom right photograph.

NCT2 Torbernite/ Autunite

Old 20 Mine, Spruce Pine District, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, United States

18.1x 12.0x 2.7 cm

$185

North Carolina uranium is hard to get in any quality or size, but this is a LARGE plate of the stuff. The display face is richly sprinkled with torbernite/autunite crystals. to 6 mm.

TYM1 Tyuyamunite

Marie Mine, Carbon Co., Montana, United States
10.9x 5.6x 3.2 cm

$95

An exceptional Tyuyamunite specimen from Montana. Pieces from the Marie Mine were notable for the (relatively) large size of their crystals--that differed from the usual powder found at other localities. This mine is now closed and few of these tyuyamunites remain on the market.

UX1 Euxenite

Betafo, Madagascar
2.0x 1.1x .6 cm

$45

A terminated and complete crystal of this mildly radioactive mineral from Madagascar.

PGT1 Garnet var. SPessartine, Orthoclase, Quartz

Shigar Valley, Baltistan, Pakistan

4.3x 3.5x 2.3 cm

$185

An undamaged garnet crystal sits atop a cluster of orthoclase and quartz crystals. One of the quartz crystals is water clear, and double terminated. The garnet APPEARS to have a small chip on the edge, but when you look closely you see that it is really just etching. A beautiful and well balanced combination specimen, one of the few garnets I purchased in Pakistan back in 2006.

PBGM3 Plumbogummite

Daoping Mine, Gunagxi Prov., China

4.2x 3.7x 2.8 cm

$135

Prior to this find, the only decent plumbogummite on the market came from the UK. As those all dated to the 1800's, they were extremely rare, and the prices were insane. Thanks to this find though, this mineral has been made available to a greater number of collectors. There is pyromorphite or mimetite underneath the plumbogummite--I have seen it described as both and am not certain which it is.

SORP1 Orpiment,

Shimen., Hunan Prov., China

4.6x 3.5x 3.3 cm

$165

I have always seen potential in these Chinese orpiments, but it unfortunately 98% of them are heavily damaged.

I finally found some good ones though. The crystals are long, terminated, and have good color--as opposed the the broken, decayed clusters that we have all grown accustomed to seeing. A choice miniature from the locality.

SORP2 Orpiment,

Shimen., Hunan Prov., China

5.2x 4.2x 4.1 cm

$165

I have always seen potential in these Chinese orpiments, but it unfortunately 98% of them are heavily damaged.

SORP3 Orpiment,

Shimen., Hunan Prov., China

5.0x 4.8x 2.5 cm

$145

I have always seen potential in these Chinese orpiments, but it unfortunately 98% of them are heavily damaged.

SORP4 Orpiment,

Shimen., Hunan Prov., China

4.8x 3.9x 3.8 cm

$135

I have always seen potential in these Chinese orpiments, but it unfortunately 98% of them are heavily damaged.

TG6 Garnet var. Spessartine,

Tongbei., Fujian Prov., China

9.6x 6.6x 2.0 cm

$165

A large cabinet specimen of bright orange-red garnets from Fujian. These have been plentiful for the last couple years, so the prices have remained reasonably low. But if the mimetites and pyromorphites from Daoping and Guangdong taught us anything, it is that this wont always be the case. It is a little less red in real life.

BEAU8 Wulfenite, Barite, Fluorite

Chenelette, Bujeau, Rhone, Rhone Alpes, France

2.5x 1.8x 1.8 cm

$55

A rare example of wulfenite from this French locality. This was collected a couple years prior to the mine's closing in 2001. The single wulfenite crystal measures just over 1 cm, and is perched on a barite matrix, along with numerous 1 mm fluorite cubes. An interesting combination.

TNBAS1 Bastnaesite

Zagi Mtn., Near Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan

2.2x 1.0x .8 cm

$85

A cute little thumbnail, with an astrophyllite included, hexagonal bastnaesite perched on a sliver of matrix. Matrix specimens are harder to get than loose crystals. Some contacting on the reverse.

MGCO1 Magnesiocopiapite

Northern Chile

2.7x 2.2x 1.7 cm

$50

A solid nugget of this very rare mineral. Given its blob-like shape, it is hard to have the photographs in focus.