Thumbnails!

A selection of 48 thumbnail specimens from around the world, from common species to rare ones, in all price ranges.  

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TNU01 Tourmaline var. Liddicoatite
Mt Ibity, Antsirabé 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.1x 1.7x 1.3 cm
$280

A very nice thumbnail specimen consisting of a parallel growth of purplish red liddicoatite crystals.









TNU04 Genthelvite on Magnetite
Huanggang Mine, Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Co.), Ulanhad League (Chifeng Prefecture), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
2.3x 1.8x 1.5 cm
$185

A beauiful thumbnail of genthelvite, with a starburst cluster on a bit of matrix.  Neither "starburst" clusters or matrix specimens are rare, but funding a thumbnail that has both is-- usually the clusters are off matrix or on absurdly large ones.  This piece has just the right proportions for a perfect thunbnail.









TNU05 Barite on Malachite
Shangulowe Copper Mine, near Mulingisha, Shaba Copper Belt, D. R. Congo
2.8x 1.9x 1.4 cm
$185

An old thumbnail of barite on malachite from Shinkolobwe, located in southern D.R. Congo's copper belt.  The arrangement of this piece is particularly aesthetic.

 

Almost nothing comes out these days, except for the odd bit of cuprosklodowskite or other uranium secondaries from the mine dumps, though with Chinese firms moving into the area, there is hope that some some point in the next several years, more specimens will be found..










TNU06 Tourmaline var. Liddicoatite
Mt Ibity, Antsirabé 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.3x 1.8x 1.3 cm
$200

A beautiful little thumbnail of liddicoatite tourmaline, consisting of a few small, multicolored crystals on a bit of matrix.  The upper right hand crystal is not terminated, but it doesn't detract from the piece.











TNU09 Cassiterite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
2.05x 1.85x 1.6 cm
$165

A very sharp single crystal of cassiterite, from older finds at mt Xuebaoding.  An excellent lustrous and damage free example.









TNU11 Autunite
Margnac Mine, Compreignac, Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France
3.0x 2.8x 0.7 cm
$145

A nice large thumbnail of French autunite, from finds made pre-1960. 









TNU12 Calcite
Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Scott Co., Iowa, United States
3.1x 2.2x 1.2 cm
$70

A beautiful thumbnail calcite from the Linwood Mine, in Iowa.  This is the same location that produced the major find of large barite crystals a couple years ago.  Although the barites have been marketed most heavily to collectors, the real treasures from the locality are the calcites.  They tend to be somewhat large, though this is a very nice thumbnail example.









TNU13 Cuproadamite
Mina Ojuela, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
3.1x 2.3x 1.3 cm
$250

A very bright green thumbnail of cuproadamite from Mina Ojuela.  

 

Although there have recently been small finds of cuproadamite at this locality, the color of the newer specimens has not been nearly as bright or saturated as that of older specimens such as this one. 

 

The vast majority of adamites from this location are the yellow variety, cuproadamites are considerably rarer, and manganadamites (purple) are the rarest of all. 










TNU15A Hematite ps. Magnetite
Payún volcano, Altiplano de Payún Matru, Malargüe Dept., Mendoza, Argentina
2.4x 2.1x 1.35
$75

A nice sharp and lustrous thumbnail of hematite after magnetite, from Argentina.









TNU16 Fluorite on Lollingite
Huanggang Mine, Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Co.), Ulanhad League (Chifeng Prefecture), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
3.1x 2.5x 2.0 cm
$120

A nice thumbnail sized example of fluorite on a bit of lollingite from Inner Mongolia.  This is another example of something that is usually only seen as miniature and larger sized examples-- the small bits always seem to be shards, but this one is complete all around and even has a nice bit of matrix.











TNU17 Kesterite with Mushistonite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Ping Wu Co., Sichuan Prov., China 2.5x 1.9x 1.4 cm
2.5x 1.9x 1.4 cm
$285

A heafty thumbnail cluster of the rare mineral kesterite. The kesterite at this locality is actually dark and metallic, but a thin mushistonite coating makes them all look green. This is a very good thumbnail example of the species, certainly larger than the average specimen. For a while in the 90"s these were called "pandaite" and were thought to be a new species, but were subsequently discovered to be a combination of two already known species.











TNU18 Calcite
Berry Materials Quarry, North Vernon, Jennings Co., Indiana, USA
2.6x 2.3x 1.95 cm
$70

A nice sample of calcite from the Berry Materials Quarry, located in the Midwestern American state of Indiana. This piece has a nice honey colored crystal on a sliver of matrix, and displays the rounded form typical of specimens from the locality.









TNU21 Monazite
Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, Fidirana Commune, Betafo Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3.2x 1.5x 1.1 cm
$100

A nice thumbnail consisting of a relatively sharp and well termianted crystal of monazite from Madagascar.









TNU24 Barite
Cerro Warihuyn, 2 hours walk from Miraflores, Huamalias. Huanuco, Peru
2.7x 2.6x 1.7 cm
$45

A nice thumbnail sized barite crystal, aesthetically perched on a bit of matrix, from Peru.









TNU25 Sigloite ps. Paravauxite
Siglo XX mine, Llallagua, Bustillo Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia.
2.8x 2.9x 0.5 cm
$135

A great example of sigloite and paravauxite from the 2006 find. 

It combines numerous complete, double terminated sigloite crystals  with light green paravauxites, and accentuates the contrast between the two.










TNU26 Petalite
Palelni mine, Khetchel village, Molo quarter, Momeik Township, Kyaukme District, Shan State, Burma
2.0x 2.0x 2.0 cm
$150

A very good crystal of petalite, from Mogok. When I think of petalite I usualy think of heavily etched masses, but these Burmese examples actually show good form.









TNU27 Petalite
Palelni mine, Khetchel village, Molo quarter, Momeik Township, Kyaukme District, Shan State, Burma
2.9x 2.3x 1.3 cm
$165

A very good crystal of petalite, from Mogok. When I think of petalite I usually think of heavily etched masses, but these Burmese examples actually show good form.









TNU29 Fergusonite
Mogok Township, Myanmar (Burma)
2.3x 0.8x 0.8 cm
$90

A nice crystal of this rare earth niobium oxide, from Mogok.  The gem tracts are primarily known for their rubies, sapphires and spinels, but also produce a few rare earth bearing species.  This is a sharp thumbnail of fergusonite, rather hard to get except from Canada and the odd Norwegian specimen.









TNU30 Fergusonite
Mogok Township, Myanmar (Burma)
2.8x 0.8x 0.7 cm
$100

A nice crystal of this rare earth niobium oxide, from Mogok.  The gem tracts are primarily known for their rubies, sapphires and spinels, but also produce a few rare earth bearing species.  This is a sharp thumbnail of fergusonite, rather hard to get except from Canada and the odd Norwegian specimen.









TNU31 Struverite
Ialamitana, Antsirabé 2 District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.3x 0.3x 0.85 cm
$65

A sharp, terminated crystal of the tantalum rich variety of rutile.









TNU32 Pyrite
Huanzala Mine, Huallanca District, Dos de Mayo Prov., Peru
2.8x 1.9x 2.5 cm
$40

A nice thumbnail of octahedral pyrite from the Huanzala Mine.  Another example of something that is usually found as larger samples.







TNU34 Ruby ps. Painite
Wetloo, Kyauk-Pyat-That, Mogok Township, Myanmar (Burma)
2.3x 0.8x 0.7 cm
$235

A painite crystal partially pseudomorphed to ruby.  Small rubies were found associated with many of the painite specimens, and in some cases, the painites had even been pseudomorphed.  This one still retains a painite core, though the outer rind in pink ruby.

Up until several years ago, painite was widely touted as the world's rarest gemstone, with fewer than 20 carefully documented crystals having been collected since its discovery in the 1950's.  Then in late 2005, there was a large find of the stuff that finally made them available to collectors.











TNU35 Beryl var. Heliodor
Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
4.1x 0.4x 0.3 cm
$65

A gemmy terminated and etched heliodor crystal from Madagascar.









TNU37 Copper ps. Aragonite
Corocoro District, Pacajes Province, La Paz Department, Bolivia.
2.3x 2.0x 1.45 cm
$75

A nice ball shaped aggregate of hexagonal aragonite crystals, that have been replaced by copper.









TNU39 Quartz incl. Hydrocarbons
Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan
2.5x 1.9x 1.4 cm
$85

A doubly terminated quartz crystal resembling a Herkimer diamond, included by yellow and black hydrocarbons.  Fluorescent.









TNU40 Calcite
Irving Materials Quarry, Anderson, Madison Co., Indiana, United States
2.9x 2.4x 1.7 cm
$95

A pair of twinned calcite crystals from the Irving Materials Quarry.  These are probably some of my favorite American calcites.  This thing just barely makes it into the box.



TNU41 Copper
Laker pocket, Eagle Harbor, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, USA
3.2x 1.5x 2.1 cm
$85

A nice thumbnail sample of crystallized copper, from the famous "Laker Pocket" discovered by divers under the waters of lake superior.  This piece displays the distinctive patina of pieces from the find.









TNU42 Copper ps. Aragonite
Corocoro District, Pacajes Province, La Paz Department, Bolivia.
2.0x 1.35x 1.4 cm
$45

A hexagonal crystal of aragonite, pseudomorphed to copper.

This thumbnail is a bit more interesting though, because there is a second aragonite crystal perched on the edge of the first, and interestingly enough it has not pseudomorphed-- it is still aragonite.









TNU44 Beryl
Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
2.25x 1.2x 1.1 cm
$65

A nice terminated sample of gemmy beryl with etched sides, from Madagascar.  









TNU45 Hambergite
Mogok Township, Myanmar (Burma)
2.7x 0.4x 0.1 cm
$70

A rare sample of this hydrous beryllium borate from a very hard to find locality-- almost all the examples on the market come from Pakistan, Madagadcar, and occasionally from California.  Unusual material for Burma.  It's quite transparent, so it's actually harder to see in person than in the pictures...









TNU47 Pyrargyrite
Fresnillo Mine, Pinos, Zacatecas, Mexico
2.6x 2.5x 1.0 cm
$185

A nice thumbnail sized sample of this silver sulfosalt, from Mexico.  









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Click here to see Clearance Minerals (specimens last added May 15th)