Group of prismatic arfvedsonite crystals, with parallel growth, striated faces and polycrystalline terminations, shiny and dark green, almost black in color. In feldspar matrix. Nowadays it is difficult to get these samples. 5m61x

Pinkish aluminotaipingite-(CeCa) aggregates on matrix. They have been analyzed and the results will be sent to the buyer. Montoso is one of the areas where the "Pietra di Lna" or "Stone of Lna" is extracted, a leucogranitic orthogneiss characterized by a micro-"Augen" texture and a greenish gray or locally pale blue color.

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Aggregate of fibrous to acicular crystals of this rare arsenic-lead sulfosal of which Lengenbach is the type locality. It is accompanied by red realgar crystals, on a saccharaoid dolomite matrix. It is accompanied by pyrite and sphalerite. Several labels show the pedigree of the piece, with a date of 1988.

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Very interesting interstitial lead laminar growth, the matrix is epidotite, a relatively uncommon metamorphic rock, formed almost exclusively of crystalline epidote. The sample is from a Swedish locality, classic for native Lead but that must not be confused with better known Långban.

Although it is not an aesthetic specimen in the conventional sense, this metacinnabar is a very interesting for the locality and unusual piece for sale. It comes from the Pietrineri mine, a mercury mine included in the famous mercury mineral complex of Monte Amiata, currently completely abandoned. Mining operations at Pietrineri began in 1902 and ceased in 1979. In the specimen we can see the vermilion of cinnabar along with black aggregates of metacinnabar.

Clinohumite specimens from the Sierra de Mijas are a classic of Spanish mineralogy. These specimens are treated using chemical processes to make the crystals emerge in the marble matrix. They are accompanied by dark violet octahedral crystals of spinel. Clinohumite is a member of the humite group. It forms a continuous series with hydroxyclinohumite. The name "clinohumite" has commonly been used when the F/OH ratio has not been determined. Mijas is a magnesium skarn embedded in marble and pelitic gneiss, amphibolites and granulitic gneiss, in the zone with alpine peridotites-serpentinites (Sierra de Mijas).

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Excellent specimen of pyrophyllite from this classic Californian locality. We can observe the bright radial aggregates of this phyllosilicate. A very representative specimen for the species.

This topaz specimen shows us some interesting inclusions oriented in the cleavage plane (001). Transparency is complete. With label from Juan Montal, former mineral dealer from Vilafranca del Penedés (Catalonia).

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Good sized topaz crystal, colorless, richly faceted, brilliant, colourless and very transparent. It has some chips, but it is a gem.

60 €

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Group of rhodochrosite crystals included in the matrix. Bright and transparent. From this classic Peruvian mine.

Compact aggregates of pectolite, forming radial aggregates of creamy white color, forming globules interpenetrated between them. On a basalt matrix. Fluorescent under LWUV. It belongs from the Emili Nicolau (Barcelona) collection and was acquired from Joan Viñals in 2003.

75 €

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Several ilvaite crystals on a druse of quartz crystals, with an intense black color, doubly terminated and twinned. Observing with the magnifying glass we can see perfect doubly terminated crystals, a pleasure. They are arranged in a very aerial way giving the specimen a notable elegance.

Silver specimen from this Australian locality formed by numerous groups of silver on twisted wires. It is accompanied by siderite and galena, and probably chlorargyrite. From the Vilaseca collection, Barcelona.

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A very aesthetic specimen of what are some of the most iconic cassiterites in the world, and certainly the most famous from Europe: Schlaggenwald (nowadays Horni Slavkov), have such an iconic appearance and this piece is no exception. It features a predominant, sharp, lustrous, cyclic twinned group crystals, in unusual peaked formation (result of twinning). 

220 €

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This rare specimen of stibnite has an ancient handwritten label attached indicating the San Pancracio mine in Ceuta. Searching for information about this mine we have found in MTI details of the work: “Síntesis geológica de Ceuta” by Simón Chamorro and Mercedes Nieto (1989) about this town. We reproduce here some of the details indicated in their work: "Next to Arroyo de las Bombas and near Fort Piniers, there is a deposit of antimonite (stibnite), known by the name of San Pancracio. The mineralization is associated with the between the warped limestones and the Carboniferous shales and sandstones; both types of rocks appear mineralized, although in the latter with more intensity the main control of the deposit is defined by a fault and a system of associated fractures from directions N 10º E to N 25º. E. [...] It was exploited by Fundiciones de Antimonio S.A. of Barcelona, from 1960 until March 1979, the year in which it was abandoned due to depletion of the main mineralized masses. Its production has been very small, a maximum of 135 t. in 1970, and an average grade of 45% [...] It presents a paragenesis of stibnite-quartz and carbonates, with traces of chalcostibine, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcosine, covelline, brandsite and gold. Simón Chamorro Moreno, Mercedes Nieto García (1989): Síntesis geológica de Ceuta. Ceuta. ISBN: 84-87148-07-9.

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These hematite crystals from a quarry near Nador are already a classic of Moroccan mineralogy. This specimen is made up of various crystals in parallel growth, with exceptional brilliance, and showing the faces of different crystals. Its size and quality and metallic luster make them a definitive specimen from this locality. These hematites come from a small rhyolite quarry very near the community of Nador, on the road to Melilla.

150 €

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Group of carrollite crystals showing cube and octahedron shapes. Very bright and interpenetrated with each other. Defined edges and faces and exceptional shine. Very aesthetic.

The tin mine at Viloco (sometimes called Araca) has produced some of the most magnificent cassiterite specimens worldwide, and a very small percentage of these pieces are actually associated with tourmaline. This specimen hosts a few fine, sharp, lustrous, translucent, brown/black cyclic twinned crystals of cassiterite with small quartz crystals and small acicular greenish-black crystals of tourmaline (dravite?). This association is seen in only a handful of cassiterite specimens from this historic locality.

320 €

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A sculptural and highly unusual, layered nodule of botryoidal, lustrous, rich brown, cassiterite from a very uncommon Montana locality. This variety of cassiterite is called "stream tin", due to the rounded, stream-worn character of the cassiterite. Stream tin was named by Cornish miners from the streams, where the rich deposits were first found in Cornwall. This is excellent, old-time material from the Jaime Bird Collection [Rob Lavinsky sold 2009]. It has two labels attached with the numbers 472 and 4240.
"Wood tin," a cryptocrystalline variety of cassiterite, has bands that resemble the age rings of wood. This variety occurs in locations across the globe, and lapidaries sometimes create ornamental objects and cabochons from it.

Very aesthetic specimen from this classic Portuguese mining town that presents us with a large group of fluorapatite crystals, which present prismatic shapes with striated faces and truncated by the pinacoid. Between translucent to transparent and with a marked color zoning of more intense green in the crystal core. The specimen is partially covered with muscovite rosette aggregates. Floating specimen.

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Group of stephanite crystals that form a floating cluster, with various interpenetrated prismatic crystals, with defined faces and edges and brilliance. This specimen comes from an unusual Mexican mine for the species and is accompanied by the label of a well-known mineral dealer in Madrid. The piece belongs from the Nicolau collection (Barcelona). A very aesthetic and representative miniature of the species.

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In this specimen we can observe two very well defined anatase crystals, with the shapes of the tetragonal dipyramid truncated at the vertices by pinacoidal faces. The shine is excellent and they have an almost black color but with navy blue reflections when the light hits them. They are arranged in a very aerial way on a rock matrix covered by small tabular b alvite crystals between transparent and translucent and very brilliant.

125 €

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Group of skutterudite crystals of very good size, exceptional brilliance and forming parallel growths that resemble a rosette. An excellent piece from this classic Moroccan locality that sures many of the specimens I have seen.

210 €

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Very rich group of mimetite crystals, with an intense orange color, luster and transparency, with interpenetrated hexagonal crystals truncated by the pinacoidal faces.

Very aesthetic specimen formed by several prismatic fluorapatite crystals with hexagonal forms, showing short prisms of various orders, truncated by developed pinacoidal faces. The brilliance and transparence are excellent. They present a violet-blue color zoning depending on the light that falls on them. They are disposed in a very aerial way on a matrix with muscovite, siderite and well-formed arsenopyrite crystals.

190 €

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