New Russian Minerals

 

1. Bornite, Calcite, & Quartz – Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan; $20, 8 x 6 cm; This large sample from the famous rare pegmatite is a treasure trove of rare minerals. There look to be over 5 different minerals including what I believe is the Zorite. Type locality for Raite and Zorite and includes Russian Cyrillic label.
2. Datolite on Ilvaite - Dal’negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia; $25, 8 x 7 cm; Superb sharp gemmy clear crystals of datolite to 9 mm richly scattered about a matrix covered with sparkling black micro-crystals of ilvaite.
3. Apohpyllite – Kazakhstan; $10, 5 x 4 cm; Group of large blocky 2 cm off white crystals. Nice specimen but not much locality information.  SOLD
4. Datolite - Dal’negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia; $15, 5 x 4.5 cm; Superb sharp gemmy clear crystals of datolite to 1.3 cm covering the sparkling matrix. Some small chips keep the price down.
5. Pyrolusite – Urals, Russia; $10, 4 x 4 cm; Sparkling black micro crystals line vugs of massive manganese ore. Great reference sample with Russian Cyrillic label.
6. Pyrolusite – Urals, Russia; $10, 4 x 3 cm; Sparkling black micro crystals line vugs of massive manganese ore. Great reference sample with Russian Cyrillic label.
7. Datolite - Dal’negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia; $7, 4 x 3.5 cm; Sharp gemmy clear crystals of datolite to 1 cm partially covered with micro datolite crystals. Nice sparkling matrix but clay inclusions under the micro crystals keep the price down.
8. Microcline variety Amazonite – Kola Peninsula, Murmansk District, Russia; $6, 4 x 3 cm; Basically a single mostly complete crystal with great color.
9. Cassiterite – Iultin Mine, Tenkergin, Chukotka Peninsula, Russia; $30, 6.5 x 2.5 cm; Large nearly complete elongated crystal. I think the shape is due growing into contact with other crystals but the faces show crystal faces. Excellent reference sample with Cyrillic label.
10. Cassiterite – Iultin Mine, Tenkergin, Chukotka Peninsula, Russia; $10, 5 x 4 cm; Very lustrous crystals to 5 mm sparsely scattered on matrix. Sawn on base for display.
11. Hematite - Kara-Oba, Karaganda Oblast, Kazakhstan; $12, 6 x 5 cm; Typical Kidney-Ore sample from an unusual location.
12. Axinite – Pujva Mine, Prepolar Ural Mts., Urals, Tyumen Oblast, Russia; $15, 4.5 x 1.8 cm; Sharp group of wedge shaped crystals to 4 cm long. Minor chips on a couple crystal tips brings the price down to this value buy.
13. Pyrite in Tennantite – Berjozovskol, Urals, Russia; $35, 3.5 x 4 cm; Super lustrous striated penetration twinned pair of pyrite crystals display well on a matrix of crystalline tennantite
14. Tennatite – Berjozovskol, Urals, Russia; $30, 3 x 1.5 cm; Sharp complex group of irridescent tennatite crystals. Only a contact in the rear of the specimen keep this from being a screamer.

 

Miscellaneous Minerals

3.  Cerussite and Galena – Tsumeb, Namibia 6 x 3 cm (2.25 x 1.25 inches);

Nice gray glassy crystals to ½ inch all over dark gray galena matrix. Great association piece, as galena is not commonly found here. In fact one of the other Internet show dealers tends to charge a bundle for these. Not a showstopper but a very nice reference piece in darn good condition that would fit in well with a Lead minerals or Tsumeb suite. $25

4.  Aragonite – San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua, Mexico 7 x 7 cm (2.75 x 2.75 inches);

Perfect piece of cave formation with a spray of sparkling clear crystals at the base that change to milk white. Old piece from the John Johnson Collection collected in the 1early 1960’s. $12

5.  Aragonite – Collins Crystal Cave, KY 4.5 x 6 cm;

Cave-formation dripstone from an old collection taken before removal was disallowed. Nicely shaped formation buff in color. Obviously you can’t get these anymore. $10

7.  Aragonite – Grand Co., UT 9.5 x 5 cm (3.75 x 2 inches);

Cave-Formation with a stacking of dozens of plates. Unusual piece I’ve never seen before from a serious self-collector. $10 Reduced $6

13.  Tennantite on Quartz – El Cobre Mine, Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas, Mexico 4 x 2.5 cm (1.5 x 1 inches);

The tennantite crystals from this mine are among the best found in the world. The fact that the black crystals sit on a white matrix of quartz crystals just enhances their desirability. Sphalerite and chalcopyrite are also found among the quartz. The largest crystal is 7 mm and is a modified tetrahedron that is partially skeletal near the base. This could be trimmed to fit in a TN box if desired. $7

15.  Tennantite – El Cobre Mine, Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas, Mexico 5 mm (1.5 x 1 inches);

The tennantite crystals from this mine are among the best found in the world. Good sharp modified tristetrahedral loose crystal 1 mm across. $5

17.  Beryl variety Aquamarine – Gilgit, Pakastan 3.5 x 2 cm (nearly 1.5 x 7/8 inches);

Nice sharp hexagonal glassy crystal of pale blue. There are six small pyramid faces at the edge of the flat pinacoid on top. Minor chips on the edges of the crystal faces but still in very good condition overall. $35

18.  Smithsonite variety Cobaltian – Tsumeb, Namibia 4 x 4 cm (1.5 x 1.5 inches);

Pale pink crystals to 4 mm completely cover surface. Not great color but very nice crystals with only one small contact point on the whole crystal covered surface. $20

19.  Smithsonite – Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico 2 x 4 cm;

Outstanding pink colored smithsonite completely covers the display surface. Very nice for $10

20.  Hemimorphite – Gaudelupe, Victoria, Durango, Mexico 5.5 x 3.5 cm;

This piece was labeled smithsonite from New Mexico and I bought it thinking it was. It is classic Kelly blue color but it is hemimorphite. Mexican mineral dealer Dennis Beals of Xtal confirmed my suspicion on further examination. Nice 6 mm thick bright blue botryoidal coverage of undamaged hemimorphite covers the surface. $40

21.  Azurite – Shilu Copper Mine, Yangchun Co., Guangdong Prov., China 3 x 3.5 cm;

Nice azure blue rose of blocky crystals to 7 mm thick. Completely crystallized floater in excellent condition. $20

23.  Pyrite – Indianapolis, IN 3.5 x 3.5 cm;

Complete floater nodule of cubo-octahedral crystals. Very fine specimen with great luster and no damage. These were prized although somewhat common in the 1980’s but I have not seen any new specimens at the shows in Indiana so I suspect the quarry has been closed. I picked up a couple from a collection I bought and will sell them for less than they were asking in their heyday. $15

25.  Fluorite on Barite – Walker Vein, Caldwell Stone Co. Quarry, Danville, Boyle Co., KY 4 x 2 cm;

Pale purple cubes to 8 mm on long thin composites of barite blades. Unusual crystallization as well as a good reference specimen. Collected by Alan Goldstein 2/26/00 . $15

27.  Pyrite – Eagle Mine, Gilman, CO 4 x 3.5 cm;

Superb piece from this classic Colorado mine. Super lustrous pyritohedral crystals over 1 cm in size as nice as anything coming out of from Peru. $10

28.  Smithsonite – Oronogo Circle, Tri – State District, MO 3.5 x 2.5 cm;

Yellow smithsonite coats the surface of the chert breccia. Rare secondary mineralization from the Tri-State District made available by the Auction of longtime Joplin, MO dealer Harry Brown of Brown’s Minerals. Complete coverage with good not great color. In 18 years of collecting minerals which started in the Tri-State District I have seen very few of these available. The pieces that didn’t come from Harry I can count on one hand. I was lucky enough to get a small lot of this material from the auction including a couple of cabinet specimens. $20

29.  Calcite – Pints Quarry, Raymond, Iowa 4 x 3 cm;

Cluster of sharp calcite crystals to 2.5 cm with micro pyrite sprinkled on the surface. Larger and somewhat unusual shaped crystals from this now closed quarry. Displays very nice with the largest crystal sticking up in the center of view. $10

32.  Magnetite – Hiawatha Mine, Iron River, MI 3.5 x 1.5 cm;

Nice modified octahedral crystals of magnetite to 7 mm nearly cover a specular hematite base. Fine example from this old iron-mining district from an old collection. $20

34.  Chalcocite – Flambeau Mine, Ladysmith, Rusk Co., WI 2.5 x 2 cm;

Large 1.2 cm gray crystals on matrix of entirely chalcocite. Good crystals but not iridescent. $12

35.  Prehnite – Lane Quarry, Westfield, MA 3.5 x 3 cm;

Super green color and nicely crystallized prehnite makes up the entire specimen. I think this stuff is as good as any including the Namibian material, which it resembles. $12

36.  Copper – Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia 5.5 x 4 cm;

Thin sheets of copper with nice reddish patina. Good reference piece. $5

45.  Acanthite pseudo of Polybasite on Quartz - Level 590, La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Mexico;

This was a really cool find I think from the last year down in Mexico. You have one rare silver mineral replacing another rare silver mineral. A cluster of pseudo-hexagonal crystals of polybasite to 3/8 inch are now acanthite and these set up on top of about five frosted quartz crystals. There are some micro pyrite crystals scattered on the pseudos. I would guess most of the competition doesn't have one of these in their TN case. $25

46.  Acanthite pseudo of Polybasite - Level 590, La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Mexico;

This was a really cool find I think from the last year down in Mexico. You have one rare silver mineral replacing another rare silver mineral. The specimen consists of a cluster of pseudo-hexagonal crystals of polybasite to 5/8 inch, which are now acanthite. The pseudomorphs get a sparkling drusy appearance to them. There are some crystals near the top of the group that still look to be smooth unaltered polybasite crystals. I would guess most of the competition doesn't have one of these in their TN case. This is competition quality. $50