Mixed Minerals!


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ALD01 Dioptase with Plancheite
Reneville, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
20.0x 17.8x 6.8 cm
$6950

A very large and impressive specimen of deep green dioptase from the Republic of Congo. A plate this size is almost impossible to get from any other location, and this is one of the larger examples I've seen from this area. 

There are a couple spots of damage-- notably one left of center of the specimen. Considering the size of the piece (and the relatively primitive methods of extraction) this is still in pretty good shape-- the general convex shape of the piece has saved the bulk of the crystals from damage, and it is just the one area jutting out that received a bruise. 

Even with this, the amount of color, luster and the sheer size make it stand out incredibly in any display case.  The light blue chrysocolla framing the dioptase doesn't hurt either. 












ALD02 Chrysocolla on Quartz
Tentadora Mine, Julcani District, Angaraes Province, Huancavelica, Peru
13.0x 4.1x 4.3 cm
$650

A particularly fine example of chrysocolla on quartz, from a location that has been producing specimens for approximately the last year. Most of these are somewhat smaller, and the quartz is coated with dark iron oxides.  This is one of the larger single crystals I have seen-- these are typically found as jumbled clusters, and they usually get busted up into individual crystals prior to being offered for sale.  What is more, the termination is intact and it has better transparency that about 98% of these.  











ALD03 Ludlamite
Huanuni Mine, Delance Prov., Oruro Dept., Bolivian
4.9x 3.5x 3.6 cm
$1000

A very large spray of ludlamite crystals from what is undoubtably the best of species find, made late last year. Miners at the site unearthed a single pocket of crystals during routine blasting, most were smashed to bits, but a number of spectacular pieces were also recovered.  This is one of the more modest ones, though it is considerably more affordable than equal pieces that I saw in Tucson-- and the couple examples that have made it onto the internet are "POR".  This one does have a couple small scratches and chips, but again, it is basically the same as pieces that were selling for 2500-3000 in Tucson. 









ALD04 Ludlamite on Siderite
Huanuni Mine, Delance Prov., Oruro Dept., Bolivian
4.8x 4.6x 4.5 cm
$850

A very large spray of ludlamite crystals from what is undoubtably the best of species find, made late last year. Miners at the site unearthed a single pocket of crystals during routine blasting, most were smashed to bits, but a number of spectacular pieces were also recovered.  This is one of the more modest ones, though it is considerably more affordable than equal pieces that I saw in Tucson, mostly available via a single European dealer-- and the couple examples that have made it onto the internet are "POR".  Of course, having been to Bolivia in the past, I have my methods.....  This one does have a couple small scratches and chips, but again, it is basically the same as pieces that were selling for $1500-2000 in Tucson. 









ALD05 Vivianite with Ludlamite and Siderite
Huanuni Mine, Delance Prov., Oruro Dept., Bolivian
4.8x 4.6x 3.8 cm
$265

A nice example of vivianite on siderite, with small ludlmaite crystals sprinkled around, from a find made last year.  The find was particularly notable for producing what have to be the world's best ludlamites, but there were also a few vivianite specimens recovered as well. 









ALD06 Chrysocolla on Quartz
Tentadora Mine, Julcani District, Angaraes Province, Huancavelica, Peru
9.5x 4.8x 4.5 cm
$500

A particularly fine example of chrysocolla on quartz, from a location that has been producing specimens for approximately the last year. Most of these are somewhat smaller, and the quartz is coated with dark iron oxides.  These are typically found as jumbled clusters, and they usually get busted up into individual crystals prior to being offered for sale.  What is more, the terminations are intact and it has better transparency that about 98% of these.  











ALD07 Kermesite
Caiwa Mine, Danfeng Co., Shaanxi, China
10.6x 1.6x 1.5 cm
$850

An exceptionally large example of kermesite from the 2004 find at the Caiwa mine that produced some of the best examples of the species known.  The Chinese characters for this species read as "red antimony ore," the red color is usually visible on inferior specimens which tend to be red smears, or smaller clusters of flat radiating crystals (such as the majority of pieces from eastern Europe)-- but the specimens from this discovery have such (relatively) large crystals that light can't pass through, so they look almost like stibnite.  Contacted on the upper back, as shown.

Ex Mark LeFont (of lefontite, but without his label) 









ALD08 Scheelite and Fluorie
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., Chinah
13.7x 6.3x 3.2 cm
$485

An unusually rich cabinet-dized specimen of scheelite from the Xianghualing area, better known for its transparent green fluorites. This piece does have some of that transparent fluorite, but to see scheelite from this locality (and so much of it on one piece) is particularly unusual. The most famous Chinese scheelites are obviously the orange crystals from Mt. Xuebaoding, followed by the brown/purple crystals from Yaogangxian, and then the opaque white/gray examples from Huanggang. Except from Yaogangxian, none of those localities tend to have this density of scheelite crystals.  Interesting specimen. 







ALD10 Macasite on Galena, with Calcite
Shullsburg, Lafayette Co., Wisconsin, United States
5.9x 4.3x 4.3 cm
$335

A very interesting (and old) example of marcasite on galena from the old (and long closed) mines of Shullsburg Wisconsin. This piece consists one a cluster of galena crystals on a scrap of calcite, though what makes it particularly interesting is a ring of marcasite crystals (a more flowery description writter would call it a "crown") surrounding an area of stepped galena crystals. Unusual, and quite beautiful for a couple sulfide species that are generally somewhat plain, apart from their luster. 









ALD11 Dioptase with Quartz
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
5.3x 4.2x 3.5 cm
$335

A nice example of elongated (and relatively isolated) dioptase crystals on a matrix of quartz crystals. The dioptase is fine, but the matrix has some saw marks/ contacts. Either way, it is exactly as shown. 









ALD12 Dioptase on Plancheite
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
6.1 x 4.0x 4.4 cm
$285

A nice example of dioptase on beautifully contrasting blue plancheite, from the Mindouli area of Congo. 









ALD13 Rhodozite-Londonite
Antsongombato, Betafo Region, Madagascar
9.5x 4.5x 5.4 cm
$235

A nice example of this rare borate mineral, or at least, rare from anywhere except this locality in Madagascar. The crystal has a chip on one corner, though is quite sizable









ALD14 Pyromorphite
Northern Lights Mine, Coeur d' Alene Dist., Shoshone Co., Idaho, United States
11.4x 8.0x 3.6 cm
$400

At first glance this just looks like a sub-par Bunker Hill arsenian pyromorphite, though this is actually from the neighboring (and much smaller) Northern Lights Mine. This was one of only about 4 pieces I saw from this location-- it has a bit of the typical orange botryoidal material on the side, as well as a coating of smaller hexagonal crystals. If you are a pyromorphite collector, this is probably the only change you will have to get a specimen from this locality. 









ALD15 Dioptase
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
2.8x 1.8x 1.3 cm
$375

A very beautiful thumbnail of elongated dioptase crystals from the Republic of Congo. It isn't cheap, but I really like this thumbnail. 







ALD16 Dioptase
Ntola Mine, Mindouli, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
3.2x 2.2x 1.0 cm
$95

A nice thumbnail sized example of dioptase from finds made last year the the Ntola Mine.  No one is exactly sure what causes the form of these dioptase crystals, but the best guess seems to be that they are pseudomorphs after shattuckite or plancheite. 







ALD17 Olshanskyite
Shijiangshan Mine, Linxi Co., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
6.4x 4.4x 2.9 cm
$225

A rich example of olshanskyite from the best-of-species find. To put the magnitude of this find in perspective, the last time I saw the species mentioned in a new find, it was with the Japanese henmilites over 10 years ago, and the accessory olshanskyite that occurred with on those specimens were micro crystals that required magnification to see.  







ALD18 Cassiterite with Fluorite and Quartz
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
12.7x 7.9x 2.6 cm
$560

A beautiful cabinet sized example of cassiterite from this interesting find.  There were a few different habits, this one is notable for the distinctness of the crystals, and the relative lack of damage (it has a couple rubs, but nothing major).  Most pieces had substantial breaks on the display face, or the crystals were hopelessly jumbled together, almost into a solid back mass.  

This source is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China now has 4 primary casitterite specimen localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia.

Sawn on the back/ bottom







ALD19 Dioptase
Reneville, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
11.0x 7.4x 4.0 cm
$650

A beautiful cabinet sized example of deep green dioptase on matrix, from recent discoveries at the old Reneville workings. 







ALD20 Hemimorphite
Mfouati Area, Bouenza Dept., Republic of Congo
12.0x 11.6x 4.3 cm
$385

The area around Mfouati produces a number of different hemimorphite habits.  These vividly colored, botryoidal blue specimens were one of the more beautiful forms.  In many ways, they are nearly identical to the Chinese material from Wenshan, so much so that I even wondered if local Chinese enterprises were shipping the stuff back to China where it was getting mislabeled.

Sawn on the back







ALD21 Creedite
Henderson Mine, Dailey Mining Dist., Clear Creek Co., Colorado, USA
8.7x 5.8x 1.8 cm
$260

A hard to find example of very pale purple creedite from Colorado.  This piece comes from the Henderson Mine, North America's largest producer of molybdenum which is run 24/7. As a result of the extreme importance placed on efficiency, almost no specimens every escape this mine.  Ex Mark LeFont (lefontite) though without his label. 







ALD22 Creedite
Henderson Mine, Dailey Mining Dist., Clear Creek Co., Colorado, USA
9.3x 4.4x 3.7 cm
$200

A hard to find example of very pale purple creedite from Colorado.  This piece comes from the Henderson Mine, North America's largest producer of molybdenum which is run 24/7. As a result of the extreme importance placed on efficiency, almost no specimens every escape this mine. Some scuffing, but exactly as shown.  Ex Mark LeFont (lefontite) though without his label. 







ALD23 Hemimorphite
Mfouati Area, Bouenza Dept., Republic of Congo
9.4x 9.6x 4.8 cm
$385

The area around Mfouati produces a number of different hemimorphite habits.  These vividly colored, botryoidal blue specimens were one of the more beautiful forms.  In many ways, they are nearly identical to the Chinese material from Wenshan, so much so that I even wondered if local Chinese enterprises were shipping the stuff back to China where it was getting mislabeled.

The better pieces had a vivid blue color like this however, that I have not seen from China. 







ALD24 Cuproaustinite
Mina Ojuela, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
5.6x 2.8x 3.3 cm
$135

A nice example of green cuproaustinite from recent finds at the Ojuela Mine. Considered to be a rarity at the mine, there have been a few discoveries of the mineral since last summer, though most have been the "regular" yellow austinite.  Bright green, copper rich examples like this have been somewhat more scarce. 







ALD25 Quartz on Dioptase
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
4.6x 3.4x 2.8 cm
$165

A nice example of dioptase that has been overgrown by transparent quartz, giving the appearance of a deep green, sparky drusy. 







ALD26 Parisite Pseudomorph
Mt. Malosa, Zomba, Chilwe Alkaline Area, Malawi
4.9x 4.4x 2.0 cm
$165

A nice example of a parasite pseudomorph from Mt. Malosa.  These are a mixture of goethite, quartz, bastnaesite, and a number of other rare earth minerals.







ALD27 Euclase
Piaotang Mine, Xihuashan ore field, Dayu Co., Ganzhou, Jiangxi Prov., China
5.5x 2.0x 1.8 cm
$165

A very rare sample of enclose from a small Chinese find made about 10 years ago.  This piece has a single terminated crystal that somewhat blends in with the surrounding quartz, but it is still an excellent sample from this unusual find.  









ALD28 Danburite on Talc
Alto Chapare, Chapare Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
4.5x 4.3x 3.2 cm
$175

Most of the daburite on the market today comes from Mexico, though there are other localities that also produced good examples of the mineral.  This example of the mineral on a talc matrix comes from the Bolivian Altiplano--  the gray color is the result of minute magnesioriebeckite inclusions 









ALD29 Smithsonite
Lavrion, Attica, greece
4.9x 4.1x 1.8 cm
$135

A nice example of light blue smithsonite from the ancient workings at Lavrion, Greece. 







ALD30 Shattuckite with Quartz
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
7.3x 4.5x 5.8 cm
$275

A nice example of shattuckite and dioptase overgrown with quartz, giving the whole piece a nice sparkle. 









ALD31 Shattuckite with Quartz
Mindouli Area, Pool Dept., Republic of Congo
7.9x 5.1x 4.3 cm
$285

A nice example of shattuckite and dioptase overgrown with quartz, giving the whole piece a nice sparkle. 







ALD32 Hemimorphite
Mfouati Area, Bouenza Dept., Republic of Congo
8.7x 4.8x 3.1 cm
$285

The area around Mfouati produces a number of different hemimorphite habits.  These vividly colored, botryoidal blue specimens were one of the more beautiful forms.  In many ways, they are nearly identical to the Chinese material from Wenshan, so much so that I even wondered if local Chinese enterprises were shipping the stuff back to China where it was getting mislabeled.

The better pieces had a vivid blue color like this however, that I have not seen from China. 







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