Recently Handled Minerals
Kombat Mine, Kombat, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
Size: 6.8 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm
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This cerussite twin exhibits all the best qualities of lead carbonate from this deposit. These are classics from the 1960s and early 1970s, though most were sadly destroyed or damaged over the years due to the inherent fragility and softness of the species. This heart-formed shape in combination with luster, sharp termination and clarity is absolutely exceptional. The clarity is even better in person, what you see on my second photography is more reflection from faces of backside – but internal it is nearly water-clear. A few chips and bruises are present on the edges. The crystal is nearly colorless with touch of light cognac-like color. The texture is also superb and well visible on my first photo, but there are also amazing tiny, sharp faces along the edges (which are not visible on my images). Truly a major piece for this classic locality, which was closed in 2008 due to problems with flooding (after a long productive period, discovered in 1850).
Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, South Africa
Size: 5.4 x 4.9 x 2.4 cm
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Lovely sprays of inestite crystals on matrix.
Pederneira Mine, São José da Safira, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Size: 6.6 x 2.4 x 1.4 cm
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A sharp termianted and water-clear smoky quartz with dark green and intense pink inter grown tourmaline crystals at the base. A very aesthetic assemble! No significant damages to rport, bottom was extracted from the rock.
Milpillas Mine, Cananea, Sonora, Mexico
Size: 4.1 x 3.9 x 1.6 cm
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The specimen is developed as floater, each crystal - front side, back side, bottom, top - is highly lustrous, the faces show amazing texture, the color is royal blue and it looks really perfect in each position. There is much stuff from Milpillas, but this one stands out the crowd - it is formed like an „O“, this is not only a perspective - there is really a hole in the middle. There are many crystals in high quality, but the assemble gives a unique status to the piece. Again - there is no less attractive angle and quality is best 360°, undamaged.
Knappenwand, Untersulzbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5.2 x 2 x 1.8 cm
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WOW! A lovely cluster of epidote crystals perched on byssolite matrix! Note, the epitote on the right is even doubly terminated. Excellent aesthetics and condition, one of the finest miniatures i have seen on the open market for a long time!
Knappenwand, Untersulzbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5.9 x 1.7 x 1 cm
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This is top quality cluster of five epidote crystals in nearly parallel growth. The piece comes from older findings (not from the recent mining period) at the world-famous Knappenwand in the Untersulzbach valley. All terminations are in perfect condition, there is absolutely no damage and no repair! This is one of the very best miniatures from the locale we have ever owed!
Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith Co., Tennessee, USA
Size: 7.9 x 6.9 x 5.8 cm
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A wonderful 7.1 cm wide butterfly twin on sphalerite matrix. The clarity is excellent, and also the colour is a very fine deep amber brown, as so typical of these. There is tiny rubbing present on the edges, but it is truly very small and not a detraction. Superb composition and showy all around! The sphalerites are very well formed on the rear side.
Ankazobe Town, Analamanga, Madagascar
Size: 7.1 x 2.8 x 1.2 cm
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Lovely "red cap" heliodor from a recent find in Madagascar.
Paprok, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan
Size: 5.9 x 3.9 x 3.4 cm
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Two lustrous freestanding tourmaline crystals attractively set on snowy white matrix. The crystals show this typical pastell pink with sharp terminated greenish zoning at their end-points. The saturation is more intense than common material, also the aesthetic assemble with matrix makes this piece stand out the crowd. A well balanced, undamaged and unrepaired specimen!
Herja Mine, Chiuzbaia, Baia Mare, Maramureș Co., Romania
Size: 10.3 x 6.8 x 6.3 cm
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Sparkling blue barite blades forming a very 3-dimensional specimen. The piece is in great condition and looks beautiful from either side. An old label is coming with the piece. Special side note on the back side of the label: 15. march 1988 "for pulling out a tooth" (the collector who got the rock was a dentist - oouch!)
Mawi, Laghman Province, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan
Size: 6 x 2.9 x 2.1 cm
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A group of 3 glossy crystals, all sharply terminated. They show attractive pastell colors - pink in the center; mint-green outer zones. The base is partly covered with lepidolite. The assemble looks very aesthetic all around. No significant damages to report, bottom was on the rock.
Grube Stefanie, Bleiberg, Kärnten, Austria
Size: 9.9 x 7.8 x 4.6 cm
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Deep orange wulfenite crystals from Grube Stephanie, the type locality of the species. The matrix is almost fully covered by bright and sparkling crystals. This is an excellent sample from this classic locality, way above average level and very hard to obtain today. No significant damage to report.