Clearance Minerals!

As I was organizing and preparing material for Denver, I realized that there were quite a few pieces that have been sitting in flats. When I make a buying trip, I usually buy much more than what gets posted on the 30-specimen update pages. Some are saved for later updates or shows, and some just end up in flats. While these clearance pages have helped to keep the amount down, organizing for Denver uncovered a lot more….

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CLA01 Beryl var. Aquamarine, Cleavlandite Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan 8.7x 7.6x 4.0 cm $95 A terminated, light blue aquamarine on a matrix of blady cleavlandite. The right side of the specimen has been sawed. Pretty nice for under $100, i would not be surprised to see a similar piece elsewhere for $250.

CLA3 Fluorite on Calcite Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 8.6x 6.9x 4.3 cm $68 A calcite crystal associated with a number of yellow fluorite hemispheres.

CLA4 Aphophyllite

Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India

6.4x 6.1x 3.2 cm

$75

A decently sized pair of apophyllite crystals on a matrix consisting of a few stilbite crystals. Please note that the stilbite is white-- for some reason it looks pink int he pictures. The color of the apophyllite is a fairly deep and very beautiful green. Very good for the price, retail would probably be $180-$200

CLA5 Cerussite, Duftite

Tsumeb mine, Otjikoto Region, Namibia

9.8x 7.7x 3.7 cm

$85

A cabinet specimen, consisting of multiple cerussite crystals on a duftite-coated matrix. One of the cerussites is a sixling.

CLA6 Pentagonite

Wagholi, near Poonah, Maharashtra, India

7.1x 4.3x 3.3 cm

$66

A cluster of pentagonite crystals on matrix. Pentagonie has the same chemical composition as cavansite, though is much rarer.

As an interesting side note, the quarry where cavansite is found is located in a huge complex containing several very large quarries. Cavansite and pentagonite have only been found in any appreciable quantity in part of one of those quarries, even though all are located within approximately 2 square kilometers of land.

CLA7 Pentagonite

Wagholi, near Poonah, Maharashtra, India

6.5x 4.6x 3.3 cm

$58

A cluster of pentagonite crystals on matrix. Pentagonie has the same chemical composition as cavansite, though is much rarer.

CLA9 Tourmaline var. Elbaite (Gem)

Paprok, Kunar, Afghanistan

6.0x 2.6x 1.8 cm

$72

A spray of green and mink tourmaline from Kunnar Afghanistan. At this price there is obviously some damage, but the colors are good.

CLA12 Topaz Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan 4.6x 4.3x 1.8 cm $48 A light brown topaz crystal on matrix from Pakistan's Shigar valley. The crystal is terminated.

CLA13 Afghanite Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan 4.2x 2.6x 3.0 cm $44 A terminated afghanite crystal on a marble matrix. At this price, there is obviously some damage, but it is a very good reference specimen, and you probably wont find an actual crystal of this stuff at a cheaper price.

CLA17 Parisite Pasudomorph

Mt. Malosa, Zomba, Chilwa Alkaline Area, Malawi

4.4x 4.6x 2.9 cm

$65

A crystal of parisite, pseudomorphed by a collection of other minerals. I spoke to the man responsible for bringing these out of Malawi, and according to him tests have shown these to be a combination of quartz, bastnaesite, rhabdophane, and a couple others.

Cool and interesting material, cheaply priced.

CLA18 Poldervaarite

N'Chwanning Mines, Kalahari Manganese Fields, Northern Cape Prov., South Africa

7.6x 5.8x 2.2 cm

$125

Did you think this was rhodochrosite? Nope... it's a plate of pink poldervaartite crystals from finds at the N'Chwanning mines. A few years ago, these things were everywhere (at least the tan colored ones), then the supply completely dried up.

Even in those days however, the pinks were always the rarest and the most sought after. This piece has bits of damage around the edges, but I would still value it at $300-400, at the very minimum. This is marked a bit more expensively that what I usually place on these clearance pages, but look around and you'll probably see that this is actually quite cheap for what it is....

CLA19 Demantoid Garnet

Ambanja Dist., Diana Region, Antsiranana Prov., Madagascar

5.8x 4.4x 3.5 cm

$42

Several green demantoid garnets on matrix, from the recent find.

I have sold most of these, so I can let this one go at a significant discount.

CLA20 Fluorite on Quartz Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 4.4x 3.1x 2.4 cm A miniature specimen, hosting a number of small, deep red fluorite balls interspersed among quartz crystals. The red color is caused by minute iron oxide inclusions.

CLA21 Stephanite New Find!

Porco Mine, Agua de Castilla, Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia

1.7x 1.3x 0.7 cm

$59

I recently purchased a number of these, so I'm putting this one up cheaply... I would value most at $140-$200, though I have seen similar pieces pushing $250 on another website.

This is from a mine that has operated since the 1500's, though which only recently has produced any decent specimens

CLA22 Stephanite New Find!

Porco Mine, Agua de Castilla, Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia

1.5x 1.2x 0.7 cm

$48

I recently purchased a number of these, so I'm putting this one up cheaply... I would value most at $140-$200, though I have seen similar pieces pushing $250 on another website.

This is from a mine that has operated since the 1500's, though which only recently has produced any decent specimens

CLA24 Fluorite on Calcite Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 4.2x 3.9x 2.2 cm $46 A yellow fluorite hemisphere on a bit of matrix. A nice reference sample of this very interesting material, at a good price.

CLA25 Vivianite

Tomokoni Adit, Saavedra Prov., Potosi Dept., Bolivia

3.7x 2.1x 0.6 cm

$29

A ver transparent green vivianite crystal from the 2004 find at the Tomokoni Adit.

CLA26 Monazite

New Mexico, United States.

5.1x 3.1x 1.5 cm

$43

A rare monazite crystal from an unusual locality The matrix actually consists mostly of a larger monazite crystal covered by bits of rock. Good example of th especies from an unusual locatoin.

CLA27 Sylvanite, Fluorite

Cripple Creek, Colorado, United States

11.2x 9.0x 3.6 cm

$105

A gray seam of sylvanite ore sandwiched between a slightly lighter gray rock matrix and a layer of purple fluorite.

Sylvanite is a rare gold silver telluride.

Priced at my cost.

CLA28 Fluorite on Quartz Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 6.4x 3.6x 1.4 cm A miniature specimen, hosting a number of deep red fluorite balls interspersed among quartz crystals. The red color is caused by minute iron oxide inclusions.

CLA30 Variscite

Lucin, Utah, United States

5.8x 3.9x 0.7 cm

$28

A cut but unpolished slice of variscite from Lucin, Utah. I don't know why some parts look pink... the piece is only green and white.

CLA31 Paravauxite

Siglo XX Mine, Llallagua, Potosi Dept., Bolivia

10.1x 8.0x 3.3 cm

$66

A large cabinet specimen richly covered with hundreds of paravauxite crystals. This is from a small find made around 2006, representing some of the best material found since the Philadelphia Academy expedition decades earlier.

CLA33 Spessartine Garnet, Feldspar

Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan

7.1x 6.0x 3.8 cm

$39

Numerous red spessartine garnets on a matrix of blocky feldspar.

CLA34 Fluorite on Calcite

Shangbao Mine, Leiyang Co., Hengyang Pref., Hunan Prov., China

6.6x 4.5x 3.5 cm

$48

This piece shows the typical step-faces that the mine is known for.

CLA35 Fluorite on Calcite

Shangbao Mine, Leiyang Co., Hengyang Pref., Hunan Prov., China

7.4x 5.6x 4.6 cm

$48

A mostly complete, purple fluorite crystal on a matrix of calcite crystals, from the Shangbao Mine. This mine is now closed, and its fluorites are among the most collectible from the various Chinese finds. This is admittedly not a top example, but for the price it is an excellent reference specimen.

This piece shows the typical step-faces that the mine is known for.

CLA36 Aphophyllite Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 3.5x 4.0x 3.1 cm $35 A bright green Apophyllite crystal on a matrix of stilbite crystals. Some contacting on the bottom.

CLA37 Copper

Northwestern Mine, Central, Keeweenaw Co., Michigan, USA

3.6x 1.7x 1.1 cm

$39

An unusual miniature specimen, consisting of a flattened and elongated copper crystal on a matrix of more copper. Classic material from Michigan's copper country.

CLA38 Pyrite Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar

7.5x 2.1x 2.1 cm

$45

From anywhere else, this specimen would be quite common. But from Madagascar (or anywhere in Africa for that matter) pyrite is not something often seen.

This interesting locality piece consists of thousands of mall pyrite crystals arranged into an elongated nodule.

A hard to find piece for a pyrite collector or collector of Malagasy minerals.

CLA39 Fluorite on Quartz

Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India

4.9x 3.0x 1.3 cm

$33

A miniature specimen, hosting a single deep red fluorite ball on a quartz matrix. The red color is caused by minute iron oxide inclusions.

Give the slightly awkward position of the fluorite and jagged nature of the matrix, I am putting this one on a clearance page at a lower price.

CLA40 Ferberite Tungstite Tasna Mine, Cerro Tasna, Atocha-Quechisla Dist., Nor Chichas Prov., Potosi Dept., Bolivia 4.0x 3.8x 2.9 cm $42 Powdery yellow tungstite on a pair of terminated black ferberite crystals. Whenever I pick up a ferberite I am always surprised at how dense the mineral is.... but then again, it is a tungsten ore so that would be expected.

CLA41 Eosphorite Betafo Region, Central Madagascar 2.4x 1.8x 1.35 cm $36 A rare and terminated specimen of eosphorite from Madagascar.

CLA44 Hemimorpite Wenshan, Yunnan Prov., China 10.7x 7.5x 4.8 cm $50 A specimen of bright blue hemimorphite from this prolific Chinese locality, responsible for producing some of the worlds best hemimorphites in recent years. This specimen has the best color that the mine has produced, a very intense and bright blue.

CLA46 Epidote

Ankarafa, Vohémar District, Sava (Northeastern) Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar

2.6x 1.4x 0.9 cm

$30

Epidote is one of those minerals that turns up in many places, in many varried habits. Here is an unusual example from Madagascar.

I bought a small group of these, this was the best thumbnail, as it combines a small amount of matrix (a small feldspar crystal). The crystal is terminated and lustrous.

An interesting locality piece.... the only others I have seen were very old.

CLA47 Scheelite

Gharmung, Skardu, Pakistan

2.6x 2.1x 2.4 cm

$40

A thumbnail crystal of scheelite with good color and decent luster from an unusual locality. Much of the scheelite available these days comes from China's Mt. Xuebaoding. Sscheelites from Gharmung have color that compares with the pieces from China, though are considerably rarer.

This is aThis is an excellent and rare thumbnail specimen from the mine, at a pretty good price.

CLA48 Rutile

Alto Ligonha, Zambezia Prov., Mozambique

3.4x 2.2x 1.9 cm

$42

A terminated crystal of rutile from an unusual locality in Mozambique. This is a bit rougher than some of the others that I posted on a page of Mozambique minerals some time ago, but it's also about $100 cheaper. It is still a pretty good rutile crystal however, on par with material from Graves Mountain in terms of size and luster.

CLA51 Cuprite

Rubtsovskoe Cu-Zn-Pb deposit, Rudnyi Altai, Altaiskii Krai, Western-Siberian Region, Russia

1.8x 1.6x 1.2 cm

$39

These cuprites have been around for the last two years, more or less, but the prices have been very, very high. I purchased a few smaller specimens to put here at lower prices. This is a nice thumbnail of the material, consisting of a single octahedral crystal. Please note that any red hues you may be seeing are because of the strong lighting.

While the price temporarily dipped low enough for me to be able to offer them cheaply, please note that mining operations will have passed through the zone where these cuprites occur within the next year, and then they WILL disappear from the market.

CLA52 Cuprite

Rubtsovskoe Cu-Zn-Pb deposit, Rudnyi Altai, Altaiskii Krai, Western-Siberian Region, Russia

2.0x 2.0x 1.9 cm

$38

CLA53 Cuprite

Rubtsovskoe Cu-Zn-Pb deposit, Rudnyi Altai, Altaiskii Krai, Western-Siberian Region, Russia

2.2x 1.8x 1.6 cm

$39

These cuprites have been around for the last two years, more or less, but the prices have been very, very high. I purchased a few smaller specimens to put here at lower prices. This is a nice thumbnail of the material, consisting of a couple octahedral crystals. Please note that any red hues you may be seeing are because of the strong lighting.

CLA54 Okenite

Kandivali, Mumbai Area, Maharashtra Prov., india

9.1x 4.2x 3.9 cm

$38

These have become fairly common over the last 10 years, and are perhaps one of the most iconic of Indian zeolites. Actually, these is a very simple reason for this: the Kandivali quarry is located in the greater Mumbai area, and with the economic boom of the last several years, the quarry's proximity to the growing metropolis made it one of the busiest as the demand for roadfill grew. With more quarrying came more specimens, but then the city grew to include the quarry. These days, it is not uncommon to see taxies with "KANDIVALI" painted on the rear window.

Of course, that meant that the value of the land the quarry was situated on increased, so as has happened at so many other locations around the world, developers bought the quarry, and now there will be no more of these okenites, or the prehnite pseudomorphs, babingtonites, etc.

CLA55 Jeromite on Quartz

Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia

3.8x 1.2x 1.0 cm

$35

A rare specimen of the arsenic-sulfide glass jeromite, coating quartz. Jeromite is a rare mineral related to realgar, but its lattice lacks the long range order of crystalline realgar.

Good examples are nearly impossible to obtain, and these specimens from the Kami Mine are particularly suited to collections, as the quartz crystal gives them some shape.

CLA56 Copper

Oumjrane Mine, Alnif, Tarhbalt, Er Rachidia Province, Meknes-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

4.5x 3.9x 2.6 cm

$24

A specimen of copper with bits of green malachite and other secondaries, from morocco.

CLA57 Rhodizite-Londonite with Liddicoatite

Antsongombato, Betafo Region, Madagascar

4.0x 3.7x 1.7 cm

$32

A specimen of rhodizite-londonite, with a single crystal on matrix.

Decent reference material of this rare species.

CLA58 Cylindrite San Francisco Mine, Poopo, Oruro Dept., Bolivia 6.0x 3.6x 3.0 cm $46 Cyllindite--a rare sulfosalt named for its apparently cylindrical crystals. Here is a very rich specimen, with crystals on both the front and back.

CLA60 Fluorite on Quartz Fluorite on Calcite Mahodari Quarry, Nasik Area, Maharashtra Prov., India 8.5x 6.0x 6.4 cm $45 A hemisphere of dark yellow fluorite situated at the back of a rather deep quartz geode.

CLA62 Bismuthinite Tasna Mine, Cerro Tasna, Atocha-Quechisla Dist., Nor Chichas Prov., Potosi Dept., Bolivia 4.9x 2.7x 2.3 cm $29 A rare example of Bolivian bismuthinite, overgrown by what I am told is marcasite. Not very pretty stuff, but interesting.

CLA63 Apophyllite on heulandite Near Nasik, Maharashtra Prov., India 18.5x 4.8x 3.4 cm $55 A chalcedony stalactite overgrown by hundreds of small quartz and apophyllite crystals, with a pair of larger apophyllite crystals at the end. One of the two larger apophyllites has a missing termination. At my cost.

CLA64 Tourmaline var. Liddicoatite Sahatany Pegmatite Field, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar 2.7x 1.5x 0.6 cm $28 A terminated liddicoatite crystal from Madagascar.

CLA65 Wulfenite Kuruktag Mtns., Near Urumqi, Xinjiang A.R., China 6.6x 6.6x 2.6 cm $34 A cluster of reddish brown wulfenite crystals, composed almost entirely of wulfenite. This piece is from the finds made a couple years ago.

CLA66 Magnetite on Chrome Diopside Marki Khel, Khogyani, Nangarhar Prov., Afghanistan4.2x 2.7x 1.8 cm $36 Dark greenish brown andradite garnets on matrix, from Afghanistan.

CLA67 Tourmaline var. Schorl Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan 6.7x 3.0x 2.8 cm $36 A terminated prism of the black variety of tourmaline. There is some damage, but the price takes this into account.

CLA68 Pollucite

Pech, Kunar, Afghanistan2.7x 2.2x 1.7 cm

$18

A thumbnail sized specimen of etched pollucite. Pollucite s a rare cesium bearing zeollite.

CLA69 TopazJos, Plateau State, Nigeria

2.0x 1.1x 1.0 cm

$32

A hard to find, colorless and terminated crystal of Topaz from Nigeria. Nigeria's pegmatites produce a wide variety of gem minerals, yet the market is tightly controlled by local gem cartels.

Mining is conducted exclusively for gem rough, and Nigerian dealers almost never sell on a piece-by-piece basis, meaning that if you want to buy the one complete crystal in a 1 kg lot, you would usually have to purchase the entire lot by the gram...

Obviously this makes no sense for a specimen dealer, so specimens are rarely seen, despite the relative abundance of Nigerian material and gem shows.

CLA70 Topaz

Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

2.0x 1.6x 1.3 cm

$29

A hard to find, colorless and terminated crystal of Topaz from Nigeria. Nigeria's pegmatites produce a wide variety of gem minerals, yet the market is tightly controlled by local gem cartels.

Obviously this makes no sense for a specimen dealer, so specimens are rarely seen, despite the relative abundance of Nigerian material and gem shows.

TZ23 Pyromorphite,

Kintore Open Cut, Block 14, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

3.8x 1.1x 0.8 cm

~~$100~~ $40

A cluster of terminated pyromorphites from Broken hill. The crystals are very large for the locality, and the find was mentioned in the May-June 1993 issue of the Mineralogical record.

Acanthite

Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon Prov., Lima Dept., Peru

4.1x 3.6x 2.4 cm

A beautiful miniature specimen, with an arborescent cluster of acanthite crystals aesthetically clinging to a think scrap of matrix.

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