Bolivia Part 1
This is the first page of a 2 part Bolivian update. This page contains a number of bournonite specimens, and a few light pink apatites from Kami. I thought most of these bournonites had particularly nice form-- and a few had a very unusual pyrite association, while a couple had freibergite. The apatites were also deserve mention-- these are a recent find from the Kami mine (previously known mainly for producing jeromite specimens once in a while). Unfortunately the miners were very dynamite-happy, so the few pieces I have selected for this update represent the most complete from a larger lot. All the same, I will reiterate (as mentioned int he individual descriptions) that these are not pristine, in most cases the quartz crystals will be broken. Also worth noting: there is significant color change-- the pink color is most evident under incandescent light, and they are very pale under sunlight. I desaturated the images quite a bit to try and set the depicted color somewhere in between the two natural extremes.
List
Grid
BBR01 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
5.5x 3.9x 3.2 cm
$475
A beautiful example of a lustrous bounonite cogwheel standing up on a flat matrix. The main crystal is particularly textbook, a couple of the ones around it are incomplete. From a pocket found in mid-2021.
BBR02 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
6.0x 5.3x 2.1 cm
$500
A beautiful example of a lustrous bounonite cogwheel on matrix. From a pocket found in mid-2021.
BBR03 Bournonite on Pyrite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
7.2x 6.3x 4.0 cm
$485
A rather unusual bournonite specimen, this one features an association with pyrite. You will often see pyrite microcrystals scattered around the matrix of bournonites from this mine, but these examples are the first time I can recall seeing such a clear association with well crystalized pyrite. The pyrites themselves are rather interesting as well-- each of the octahedral faces gently curve into 3 separate faces... another odd feature of these specimens that I can't recall seeing in from anywhere else.
BBR04 Bournonite on Pyrite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
5.1x 4.0x 3.1 cm
$400
A rather unusual bournonite specimen, this one features an association with pyrite. You will often see pyrite microcrystals scattered around the matrix of bournonites from this mine, but these examples are the first time I can recall seeing such a clear association with well crystalized pyrite. Oddly enough, this one also has pyrite growing directly on the bournonite.
The pyrites themselves are rather interesting as well-- each of the octahedral faces gently curve into 3 separate faces... another odd feature of these specimens that I can't recall seeing in from anywhere else.
BBR05 Bournonte
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
9.4x 6.2x 3.8 cm
$400
A beautiful example of a bounonite cogwheel on a matrix, from a pocket found in mid-2021. Top edge of matrix is sawn.
BBR07 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
3.0x 3.0x 2.7 cm
$225
A satisfyingly chunky bournonite cogwheel on a sliver of matrix. A nice "toenail" sized specimen.
BBR08 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
3.3x 2.6x 2.6 cm
$200
A beautiful bounonite cogwheel on a bit of matrix. From a pocket found in mid-2021.
BBR09 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
5.0x 3.0x 3.8 cm
$285
A beautiful cluster of bournonite cogwheel from a pocket found in mid-2021. Contacted on the back.
BBR10 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
12.5x 8.0x 5.1 cm
$215
A nice example of a lustrous bounonite cogwheel on matrix, from a pocket found in mid-2021. The black tetrahedrons on the back are freibergite.
BBR11 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
10.5x 6.4x 3.5 cm
$185
A beautiful example of a lustrous bounonite cogwheel on matrix, from a pocket found in mid-2021.
BBR12 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
7.3x 6.7x 2.8 cm
$215
Bournonite cogwheels with dark freibergite, on matrix.
BBR13 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
6.0x 5.0x 3.1 cm
$165
A nice example of a bounonite cogwheel on matrix, from a pocket found in mid-2021.
BBR14 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
8.2x 5.3x 2.4 cm
$235
A group of bournonite crystals on matrix, the luster is matte in some areas, and lustrous in others.
BBR15 Quartz, Fluorapatite with Siderite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
4.6x 2.9x 3.3 cm
$1400
A beautiful fluorapatite specimen from finds made last yea at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This level of completeness is almost impossible to find-- most pieces were damaged by the extensive dynamite use. This example has a bit of partial quartz, and the apatite crystal is backed by siderite--the crystals from this pocket have a weird pseudo cubic appearance. The color of this apatite is very pale-- and it appears palest in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation under incandescent lighting (though it is still quite pale, even then). Once again, finding anything this complete is very very difficult! If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR16 Fluorapatite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
3.6x 2.5x 2.2 cm
$695
A beautiful fluorapatite specimen from finds made last yea at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This level of completeness is almost impossible to find-- most pieces were damaged by the extensive dynamite use. This example has a single main crystal on a sliver of matrix, with a crack running though it on the left side, as positioned in the top-most image, to the right of this description. The color of this apatite is somewhat pale-- and it appears palest in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation under incandescent lighting (though it is still quite pale, even then). If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR17 Apatite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
7.7x 3.2x 5.7 cm
$1300
A rich fluorapatite specimen from finds made last year at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This example has a number of crystals with varying levels of completeness, on matrix of partial quartz crystals. The color of this apatite is pale and varies with lighting-- it appears palest in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation under incandescent lighting. If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR18 Quartz, Fluorapatite with Siderite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
8.3x 5.2x 7.0 cm
$1380
A nice fluorapatite specimen from finds made last year at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This example has couple pale crystals sharing a matrix with partial quartz crystals, and brown siderite crystals with an odd, pseudooctahedral appearance. The color of this apatite is pale and varies with lighting-- it appears palest in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation under incandescent lighting (though this is still quite pale as well!) If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR19 Fluorapatite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
7.2x 6.9x 4.4 cm
$665
A rich fluorapatite specimen from finds made last year at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This example has a number of crystals with varying levels of completeness, on matrix of partial quartz crystals. The color of this apatite is pale and varies with lighting-- it appears palest in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation under incandescent lighting. If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR20 Quartz, Fluorapatite with Siderite
Kami Mine, Ayopaya Prov., Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia
8.4x 7.2x 4.5 cm
$765
A rich fluorapatite specimen from finds made last year at the Kami Mine in Bolivia. This example has a number of crystals with varying levels of completeness, on matrix of broken quartz crystals. The color of this apatite is pale and varies with lighting-- it appears very pale in daylight (or daylight equivalent lighting) and has the greatest saturation (a light pink) under incandescent lighting. If you would like videos taken under a specific type of lighting, feel free to send an e-mail.
BBR21 Bournonite on Pyrite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Boliviah
9.1x 9.0x 3.6 cm
$185
A nice example of silvery bournonite with golden pyrite. This piece has a cluster of bournonite crystals sitting on the top edge of the pyrite matrix. Unusual combination!
BBR22 Bournonite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Boliviah
4.2x 3.6x 3.4 cm
$335
A great cluster of silvery bournonite cogwheels, from Bolivia. This does have a couple spots of damage around the edges, but still displays great form and can be shown from multiple angles.
BBR23 Bournonite with Freibergite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Boliviah
5.4x 41x 2.4 cm
$295
A great cluster of silvery bournonite cogwheels, from Bolivia. Viewed from the back, there is an indentation with black freibergite tetrahedrons visible.
BBR24 Bournonite with Freibergite
Machacamarca District (Colavi District), Saavedra Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
9.2x 3.8x 3.2 cm
$235
An unusual combination specimen of bournonite on pyrite, with a number of dark freibergite tetrahedrons.
