Recently Handled Minerals
Luc Yen, Yenbai Province, Vietnam
Size: 3.6 x 3.4 x 2.5 cm
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A sharp and lustrous ruby crystal perfectly sitting on a piece of white marble. The colour is pure and fiercy, and the composition of the piece is truly stunning. Ex Kurt Wintersteiger coll.
Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia
Size: 7.2 x 5.6 x 4.8 cm
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Gorgeous and complete clear cube with stunning trapezohedron bevels on the corners perched on calcite crystals. Fantastic clarity and no damage!
Navachab Gold Mine, Karibib, Erongo Region, Namibia
Size: 8.4 x 7.7 x 4.5 cm
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This is very rare material from an old Namibian gold mine. The calcite crystals are very light and feature a great contrast to green octahedral fluorite crystals. They consist of uncountable tiny, razor sharp steps, which are all lustrous. This specimen represents an outstanding rarity in best quality.
Knappenwand, Untersulzbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 6.2 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm
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Sharp and lustrous epidote crystals in a complete floater cluster. The piece is fully crystalized all around, a nest of byssolite sets a nice contrast on the side. A very 3-dimensional piece! No repair.
Belqeys Mountain, Takab, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran
Size: 6.7 x 6.1 x 2.8 cm
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Amazingly sparkling green garnets up to 20 mm across perfectly placed on top of a mother rock. Killer quality for the locality, quite a number of pieces came to the market the last couple of years, but this one stands out! Indeed, colour, crystal size, luster and composition are all at the top level of the mine. White calcite adds contrast, and smaller crystals in the bottom section draw the eye across the piece. No significant damage to report.
Marki Khel, Khogyani, Nangahar, Afghanistan
Size: 9 x 6.5 x 3.6 cm
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Highly lustrous, sharp andradite crystals up to 13mm across attractively scattered on matrix. The crystals are isolated in the center of the piece and show really fine contrast to little olive-green epidote crystals, which cover the matrix. No significant damages to report.
Cavnic Mine (Kapnik), Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik), Maramures Co., Romania
Size: 9 x 6 x 3.9 cm
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Wonderful bundles of sharp and pointed calcites resting on dolomite/sphalerite/chalcopyrite matrix layers. The crystals show a very beautiful and distinct style, resembling the famous wheat sheaf rhodochrosites from N'Chwaning mine, South Africa. Only very few carbonate pockets have ever produced that distinct and very pleasing bundle style. The piece is in excellent shape and condition.
Maynard's Claim, Thomas Range, Juab Co., Utah, USA
Size: 3.4 x 2.1 x 1.6 cm
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Another top quality topaz crystal with minor matrix and small side crystals attached at the base. No damage.
Maynard's Claim, Thomas Range, Juab Co., Utah, USA
Size: 3.3 x 1.9 x 1.3 cm
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This is a highly brilliant and completely undamaged topaz crystal of breath-taking quality. It is as gemmy as you can look for, and it rests on a pedestal of rhyolite and smaller topaz crystals. Truly amazing in person!
Cavnic Mine (Kapnik), Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik), Maramures Co., Romania
Size: 13 x 9.8 x 7.7 cm
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Funny cactus-style manganoan dolomite cast structures from Cavnic! The back side shows negative forms of large botryoidal calcites.
Furkatunnel, Kanton Uri, Switzerland
Size: 12.8 x 10 x 6.2 cm
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Wonderful group of dolomite crystals on schist matrix, from an old find in Furka tunnel. Great condition and shape.
Berbes, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Size: 11.6 x 8.5 x 5.5 cm
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Several exposed and isolated dark violet fluorite crystals attractively set on sharp, glossy milky quartz crystals. Great contrast, very aesthetic and in excellent condition.