Recently Handled Minerals
Pre-Tucson 2017
Oyo Mine, Nigeria
Size: 10.1 x 2.5 x 2.3 cm
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This is an excellent bicolour tourmaline from Nigeria! The crystal has indeed open colours, but when just slightly backlight a sharp hot pink core appears and and the crystal just glows! A few tiny rubs on the edges were resored in a professional lab. What a fantastic crystal from a remote african source!
Mina Ojuela Level 35, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Size: 12.6 x 7.6 x 4 cm
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This is a superb specimen of botryoidal mottramite, from a small pocket found at Ojuela mine about 2 years ago. The mottramites form 2.5 - 3 cm tall aggregates here, each of them is in great shape and perfect condition! The overall shape resembles a tree and is very showy from a front 180° angle. Cherry-picked from a big lot, this piece is one of the very best of this kind i have seen!
Herja Mine, Chiuzbaia, Baia Mare, Maramureș Co., Romania
Size: 19 x 10.7 x 6 cm
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This is a very aesthetic two generations quartz from a classic Romanian locality. The first generation is milky and formed in long elongated spear-like crystals, whereas the second generation which is clear built artichocke-like crystals and even some scepters, partially parallel to the first generation. Small calcite blades set a nice contrast on the left and back sides. Great condition and visual impact!
Sweet Home Mine, Mount Bross, Alma District, Park Co., Colorado, USA
Size: 4.2 x 2.8 x 2.7 cm
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Gemmy deep pink rhodochrosite rhombs up to 13 mm across on tetraedrite and quartz matrix.
Minerva Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA
Size: 7 x 7 x 4.2 cm
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Exceptional phantom fluorites on white barite matrix. No damage.
Stak Nala, Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan , Pakistan
Size: 5.2 x 5 x 3.1 cm
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Deep green octahedral fluorite, small mica is attached on the side. No damage.
Milpillas Mine, Cananea, Sonora, Mexico
Size: 7.3 x 4 x 4.1 cm
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WOW! What a striking floater cluster of doubly terminated azurites. Razor sharp edges and perfect luster, combined with electric blue colour assign this highly sculptural piece. It is equally fine crystalized all the way around.
Bergsig Farm 167 (Hohenstein), Omaruru District, Erongo Region, Namibia
Size: 10 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm
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WOW! The master of Erongo fluorites! Rocket-like scepter shape, blue and green phantoms inside and purple beveled faces in the outline assign this unique and outstanding specimen. No other pieces of this particular style are known, what a gorgeous crystal!
Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, South Africa
Size: 8 x 5.5 x 4 cm
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Botryoidal bultfonteinite aggregates perched on manganese matrix. No damage.
Xianghuapu Mine, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
Size: 6.7 x 4.7 x 5 cm
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WOW! Sharp and totally transparent fluorite cubes perched on quartz and aragonite crystals. The fluorites are amazingly gemmy, and the aragonite balls forms wonderful inclusions inside the crystals. The large cube atop measures 28 mm on edge or 42 mm across. Great condition and visual impact! Ex Robert Brandstetter collection no.644, his hand-written label his coming with the piece.
Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Gilgit, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Size: 8.9 x 6.9 x 4.6 cm
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Superb elongated aquamarine crystals and smokey quartz on feldspar matrix. Small tantalite and fergusonite(Y) is also present in places. Great aesthetics and rare combination meet in perfect harmony. No damage.
Pederneira Mine, São José da Safira, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Size: 5.1 x 4.5 x 2.9 cm
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Clear green tourmaline standing upright on a quartz crystal. The tourmaline is in perfect condition, no damage, no repair.