Mineral Collection Images

My Mineral Collection, Systematic Sorosilicates Page

These are my sorosilicates. Sorosilicates are the next step upwards in structural complexity - two orthosilicate tetrahedrons sharing one oxtygen atom (Si2O7) and are commonly referred to as pyrosilicates or disilicates. Some sorosilicates can include nesosilicate-type single tetrahedrons and more complex sorosilicates can have a triple (Si3O10) or larger (Si4O11) tetrahedron structure. Most of the sorosilicates are rare.
Sorosilicates on Other Pages
See kinoite on my copper minerals page. Tanzanite is on my gemstones page. Also, see hancockite, kentrolite. and queitite on my lead images page. Hardystonite and hemimorphite are on my zinc minerals page. Noelbensonite is on my inosilicates page.
Specimens on This Page (links take you to either the first or only specimen)
aminoffite, ardennite, askagenite-(Nd) bafertisite, barytolamprophyllite, bertrandite, betalomonosovite cebollite, clinozoisite (and variety manganian clinozoisite, clinothulite), cuspidine (and variety custerite) edgarbaileyite, epidote (and varieties arendalite, fouqueite, nunderite, tawmawite and withamite) fencooperite, fersmanite, fluorlamprophyllite, fluorthalenite-(Y), fresnoite gehlenite, gittinsite, gugiaite hubeite ilvaite (and variety breislakite) jennite, jinshajiangite, julgoldite kilchoanite lamprophyllite, lavenite, lavoisierite, lawsonite (and variety chromian lawsonite), leucophanite, lileyite macfallite, manganvesuvianite, medaite, melilite, meliphanite, mosandrite, mukhinite nabalamprophyllite, niocalite, normandite orientite parakeldyshite, perraultite, piemontite, pumpellyite rankinite, rinkite, rosenbuschite, rosenhahnite, ruizite saneroite, schullerite, shuiskite, suolunite, sursassite thalenite-(Y), thortveitite, tilleyite, tiragalloite vesuvianite (and varieties ambosellite, cyprine, chrome vesuvianite, and mangan vesuvianite), vuonnemite, vyuntspakhkite-(Y) wiluite, wöhlerite yoshimuraite zunyite

50 Rows
Aminoffite A micro of tiny pale-yellow aminoffite (a calcium beryllium aluminum hydroxysilicate) crystals on matrix from the type locality of Langban, Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ardennite Ardennite's a very complex manganese aluminum hydroxysilicate - this miniature with yellow-orange slender prisms on a quartz matrix is from Salmchateau, Ardennes Massif, Luxembourg, Belgium. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen!	Åskagenite-(Nd) A micro of massive black askagenite-(Nd) (a neodymium iron manganese aluminum oxysilicate) from the type locality of the Åskagen Quarry, Persberg district, Filipstad, Värmland, Sweden. The Levinson suffix here is superfluous as no other REE-dominant askagenite is found naturally. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 2
Bafertisite A miniature of tiny beige bafertisite (a barium iron titanium manganese hydroxysilicate) splinters in granite from the Martin Marietta Fountain Quarry, near Fountain, Pitt County, North Carolina - one of only two places in the U.S. to find it. Thanks to Steve & Laurie Adams' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Barytolamprophyllite A thumbnail of reddish-brown barytolamprophyllite (a titanium barium sodium iron silicate) in matrix from Junguni Hill, Balaka District, Malawi. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Bertrandite This specimen of white bertrandite (beryllium hydroxysilicate), pink rhodochrosite, and purple fluorite comes from Kazakhstan. Bertrandite's a fairly important beryllium ore. Thanks to Roger Hoek's (ARCH Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 3
Bertrandite Small white crystals of bertrandite on smoky quartz with pyrite from the Kara-Oba tungsten-moly deposit in the Betpakdala Deser,t Kazakhstan. Thanks to Darrel Merke's auction on eBay for the specimen and image!	Bertrandite An old rare miniature of tabular transparent bertrandites on matrix from Greenwood, Oxford County, Maine. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Betalomonosovite An excellent thumbnail of yellow-beige, tabular, intergrown crystal aggregates of betalomonosovite (a complex sodium titanium phosphosilicate) from the type locality of Kedykverpakhk Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia. It has been analyzed and is the sodium-poor hydroxyl-bearing analog of lomonosovite. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 4
Cebollite A micro of white fibrous cebollite (a calcium aluminum hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the Turii alkaline Massif, Turii Cape, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Russia. I don't know what the tiny crystal is. Thanks to Sönke Stolze's Systematic-Minerals.com auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinozoisite A nice thumbnail of colorless clinozoisite (an aluminum calcium silicate) from Trumbull, Connecticut. It's the aluminum analog of epidote. Thanks to Don Goodell's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Clinozoisite A fascinating miniature of dark-green clinozoisite fans, two melanites, and a tiny byssolite spray (larger image, bottom row, right) from the Los Serranos Quarry, Albatera, Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain. Thanks to Ana Cubillo Leivas' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 5
Clinozoisite A 17ct dichroic (dark-yellow and green) clinozoisite crystal from somewhere near Zagi Mountain, Pakistan. Thanks to Anton Azaro's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinozoisite, var. Clinothulite A beautiful thumbnail of pink clinothulite (manganian clinozoisite) on quartz from the 2011 find at the Angelina III copper mine, Pisco Provance, Ica, Peru, South America. Thanks to John Veevaert at Trinity Minerals for the specimen and the imags!	Cuspidine Tiny off-white cuspidine (a calcium hydroxyfluorosilicate) crystals (larger image, bottom) in matrix comprise this micro from the San Vito Quarry, Vesuvio, Napoli Province, Campania, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the photo!
Row 6
Cuspidine A thumbnail of white cuspidine and dark-green fassaite (a rare, very-low-iron variety of augite) also from the San Vito Quarry. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Cuspidine, var. Custerite Original anayses of cuspidine from the varietal type locality of Custer County, Idaho showed a higher ratio of hydroxl to fluorine and naming this pale-gray mineral custerite (or hydroxyl-cuspidine). Later analyses showed the two minerals to be essentially identical, though there are still some optical differences. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Edgarbaileyite A micro of dark-green edgarbaileyite (mercury pyrosilicate) and light-red montroydite on matrix from the type locality of the Clear Creek Mine, Picacho Peak, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito County, California. Ex: Gunnar Farber Collection and Mineral Zone. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 7
Epidote Four beautiful specimens of deep green epidote (an iron calcium hydroxysilicate) in matrix from California. Epidote is by far the most common sorosilicate - it occurs through metamorphism of both sedimentary and igneous rocks and by alteration of numerous minerals. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimens!	Epidote A somewhat gemmy "faden" variety of epidote from Gilgit, Pakistan. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Epidote Very nice epidote on quartz from the Castrovirreyna District, Huancaveleca, Peru. Thanks to Jennings "Beau" Gordon's (Jendon Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 8
Epidote This small cabinet piece from Lac Falin (Lanzo Valley), Torino Province, Piedmont, Italy has gemmy yellow-green epidote crystals on matrix. Thanks to Erik Berean's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote Sharp dark green epidote crystals with smoky quartz on albite from the Santa Teresa Mountains, Graham County, Arizona. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote A golden epidote crystal from Val D'Osta, Italy. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!
Row 9
Epidote Glossy green euhedral crystals of epidote on peach microcline comprise this small cabinet specimen from the famous Calumet Iron Mine, near Salida, Chaffee County, Colorado. Thanks to Don Bray & Robert Bressler's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote Another beautiful gemmy parallel cluster of epidotes from Gilgit. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Epidote A beautiful miniature of epidote sprays and quartz on matrix from Albatera, (near Calpe), Alicante, Valencia, Spain. Thanks to Lynricia Beavers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 10
Epidote A beautiful miniature of epidote from Imilchil, Anti-Atlas Mts, Morocco. Thanks to Carlos Pareja's (PAREJA MINERALES) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote A old small cabinet specimen of epidote from Baja California, Mexico. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote An excellent miniature of epidote crystals on matrix from Nascio, Italy. Thanks to Marcelo Behar's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 11
Epidote A large cabinet carpet of pistachio-green epidote from the Maryland Materials Quarry in North East, Cecil County, Maryland. This is the color that gives epidote its varietal name, pistachite. Thanks to Keith Robertson's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote A miniature of sharp equant deep-green epidote crystals from the Calumet Mine, Turret District, Chaffee County, Salida, Colorado. It has a Diversified Minerals, Salt lake City, Utah, $45 label with it. Thanks to Scott M. Lewis's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote A beautiful miniature of parallel brown epidote crystals from Gilgit, Pakistan. some of them have hair-like inclusions and red tips. Thanks to Mohammad Arif Jan's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 12
Epidote An excellent miniature of pistachio-green micro epidote crystals in vugs from Kearsarge, Houghton County, Michigan. Thanks to North Star Minerals's table at the 2004 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Epidote A beautiful small cabinet piece of gemmy pistachio-green epidote crystals on matrix. Thanks to Justin Scott's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote An excellent small cabinet specimen of epidote clusters on matrix with minor quartz. Thanks to L. Yang's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 13
Epidote A beautiful polished miniature of massive epidote from the Central Ontario area. Thanks to Marcia Klein's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Epidote & Clinozoisite Here you can find the epidote-clinozoisite series in one specimen. This miniature of orange clinozoisite-tipped dark-green epidotes comes from the Fall 2004 find at Wadh, Khuzdar District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Thanks to Shabir Muhammad's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote A beautiful 27mm golden-yellow translucent epidote crystal from Nova Mahala, Batak Obshtina, Pazardzhik Oblast, Bulgaria. Thanks to Quebul Fine Minerals' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 14
Epidote A miniature sharp lustrous almost equant epidote crystal on matrix from Meigu County, Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Thanks to Fei Feng's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote A typical pistachio-green epidote in matrix with minor calcite, possibly from the Theodul Glacier, Gorner glacier area, Zermatt, Wallis, Switzerland. The tag says "Cheadul Glacier" which Google translated into Theodul - anyway, a very old miniature, ex L. L. Hubbard Collection. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Epidote A beautiful micro of light-orange epidotes on matrix from Bellecombe, Chatillon, Aosta Valley, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 15
Epidote A beautiful miniature of sharp epidotes on matrix from the Beura (gneiss) Quarries, Beura-Cardezza, Ossola Valley, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy. Ex: Richard A. Kosnar Alpine Collection, B243. Thanks to Brian Kosnar's (Mineral Classics) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote, var. Arendalite The very dark-green (almost black) epidote from Arendal, Norway is often called "arendalite" - the arendalites discovered in the '60s from the Entia Valley, Harts Range, Northern Territory, Australia are often twinned, like this one and also this one (from 1980). Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the first twin and the images, and to Lawrie & Yolanda Berthelsen's auction on eBay for the second twin and the images!	Epidote, var. Fouqueite A rich miniature of gray-green fouqueite ( either iron-poor epidote or iron-rich clinozoisite) and a little quartz from the Timmins area, Cochrane District, Ontario, Canada. Ex. Ralph E. Merrill personal collection and ex: Royal Ontario Museum. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 16
Epidote, var. Nunderite A small cabinet polished specimen of epidote in tan andalusitic quartz. This combination is called "nunderite" - after its type locality of Nundle, Parry County, New South Wales, Australia. Thanks to Anna Kitta's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Epidote, var. Tawmawite Tawmawite's the name given to epidote containing between 7% and 11% chromium oxide. This miniature comes from the only U.S. locality, New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut. The color matches exactly that of the widely-used pigment, chromium III oxide. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Epidote, var. Withamite Withamite's a reddish-purple variety (manganese-colored) of epidote - the closeup of this specimen from the varietal type locality of Glencoe (Glen Coe), Argyllshire, Strathclyde, Scotland, shows some clean individual crystals. It's named after its discoverer, Henry Witham of Glencoe and is similar to piemontite. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!
Row 17
Epistolite A miniature of pale-yellow epistolite (a hydrated niobium sodium titanium oxysilicate) sheets on an aegirine-rich matrix from the type locality of the Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland. Thanks to Kerry Day's (Kaygeedee Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Fencooperite A micro of black fencooperite (a hydrated complex barium iron silicate) from the type locality of Trumbull Peak, Clearing House District, East Belt, Mariposa County, California. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Fersmanite A fine rare miniature of dark brown fersmanite (a complex calcium niobium titanium silicate) crystals in matrix from the type locality of the Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Thanks to Martin Gale's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 18
Fluorlamprophyllite An excellent micro of brownish-orange fluorlamprophyllite (a complex titanium strontium sodium silicate) crystals in a nepheline syenite matrix from the type locality of Morro do Serrote, Poços de Caldas alkaline complex, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Fluorthalenite-(Y) When first discovered, fluorthalenite-(Y) was thought to be the fluorine analog of thalenite-(Y) - since then the thalenites have been re-analyzed and renamed. This is now just thalenite-(Y), yttrium fluosilicate, and this miniature of pale-pink fluorthalenite-(Y) grains in matrix with yellowish yttrofluorite and black allanite-(Ce) is from Tysfjord, Nordland, Norway. I'm keeping this one listed here as it predates the renaming. Thanks to Amanda Larson's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Fresnoite A busy miniature of yellow fresnoite (barium titanosilicate), white radiating acicular macdonaldite, reddish taramellite crystals and brown pellyite on a sanbornite matrix from Rush Creek, Fresno County, California. Thanks to Anthony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 19
Gehlenite A miniature of massive gehlenite (a calcium aluminum aluminosilicate) from the Crestmore Quarry, Riverside County, California. Thanks to Tony Nikischer's Excalibur Mineral Company auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Gehlenite A miniature of gehlenite crystals in matrix from possibly the type locality of the Monzoni Mts, Val di Fassa, Trento Province, Italy. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Gehlenite A tiny micro of white gehlenite from the type locality of the Monzoni Mts, Val di Fassa, Trento Province, Italy. Ex: Al Stevenson Collection and mounted by him on balsa wood. This same specimen is on MinDat. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!
Row 20
Gittinsite Gittinsite (calcium zirconosilicate) is almost exclusively found as an alteration product of other zircon-containing minerals. This miniature of white gittinsite surrounding tan vlasovite and pink eudialyte is from the type locality of Kipawa alkaline complex, Les Lacs-du-Temiscamingue, Temiscamingue RCM, Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. It was collected by D. MacFarlane in early June 2000 near Sheffield Lake and has a David Shannon tag. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Gugiaite A micro of white gugiaite (a calcium beryllium silicate) coating a matrix from the Seula mine, Mount Camoscio, Oltrefiume, Baveno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy. Ex: Carlo Cassinella, 28 Oct 1989. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Hubeite Hubeite's a fairly new mineral from Hubei Province in China. It's a triclinic calcium manganese (hence the color) iron hydroxysilicate found in association with (as here) pyrite, quartz, apophyllite, (and calcite and inesite). Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the image!
Row 21
Hubeite The other association for hubeite is inesite - this inesite bowtie is also from Huangxi, Hubei Province, China. Thanks to Greg Holland at the Stone Haven Mineral Shoppe for the specimen and the closeup images!	Hubeite A cluster of (hundreds of) tiny hubeite crystals on (and in) quartz from Ezhou, in Hubei Province, China. In this specimen the hubeite color ranges from amber through red to brown. Ther's also a few small apophyllites present. Thanks to Lee Arbach's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ilvaite This specimen of ilvaite (Ilva, the Latin name of Elba Island) on matrix is from South Mountain. Owyhee County, Idaho. Thanks to Chris Korpi at Pangaea Minerals for the specimen!
Row 22
Ilvaite A beautiful single terminated (closeup) ilvaite (another iron calcium hydroxysilicate) crystal from the Verchniy Mine, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia. Thanks to Jeff & Gloria's table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Ilvaite This quartz-encrusted ilvaite (labeled, synonymously, lievrite) is probably also from the Verchniy Mine, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia.	Ilvaite A small cluster of ilvaites peeks out out from the top of this ball of frosted quartz needles also from the South Mountain Mine in Idaho. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen!
Row 23
Ilvaite, var. Breislakite Breislakite is the varietal name of fibrous ilvaite. It was discovered in 1817 by G.B. Brocchi, was named for the geologist Scipione Breislak, born in Rome in 1748 and an expert in the volcanic products of the Phlegraean Fields, Roccamonfina and Mt. Vesuvius. In 1902 it was found to be identical with ilvaite, but the name lingers on for this habit. This thumbnail of fuzzy dark-brown breislakite is from the varietal type locality of Mt. Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples Province, Campania, Italy. Thanks to Sue Silver's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Ilvaite, var. Breislakite A fascinating small-cabinet geode-like specimen containing clusters of dark-green breislakite and other minerals from the Cava di Pozzolana, Cocolle, Italy. Ex: Donald L. Schuder Collection (Purdue University). Thanks to David Scuder's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Jennite This is a nice thumbnail of fibrous white jennite (a hydrated calcium hydroxysilicate) intergrown with thaumasite from the type locality of the Crestmore Quarries, Riverside County, California. Thanks to Michael Cline's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 24
Jinshajiangite A thumbnail of reddish-brown jinshajiangite (a complex iron manganese titanium barium silicate) needles with black magnesio-arfvedsonite on matrix from Norra Kärr, Småland, Sweden. It forms an incomplete series with perraultite and surkhobite. Various references classify jinshajiangite with different silicate structures. Thanks to Ingo Drescher's auction on eBay for the specimen and image!	Julgoldite-(Fe+++) An impressive large cabinet specimen of deep-green julgoldite-(Fe+++) (a hydrated iron calcium aluminum silicate) with a few apophyllite crystals from Jalgaon, India. The iron here is completely ferric; julgoldite-(Fe++) is partly ferrous. Thanks to Superb Minerals India's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Kilchoanite A thumbnail of massive kilchoanite (a calcium silicate) from the Ozernovskii Massif, Lake Baikal area, Irkutskaya Oblast', Prebaikalia, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia. Even though kilchoanite's formula is often written as the pyrosilicate, it's actually a polymorph of rankinite with a (more structurallly-written) formula of Ca6(SiO4)(Si3O10). Thanks to Lester Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 25
Lamprophyllite An excellent miniature of translucent brown lath-like lamprophyllite (a complex strontium titanium barium sorsilicate) crystals in matrix from Mt Rasvumchorr, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. It forms an incomplete series with barytolamprophyllite where barium predominates, and nabalamprophyllite where sodium replaces some of the barium and titanium. Thanks to Martin Gale's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Låvenite A miniature of reddish brown to blackish crystals of låvenite (a complex sodium zirconium hydroxysilicate) frozen in a nepheline syenite.from the type locality of Låven, Langesundsfjorden, Norway. Thanks to Anthony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lavoisierite An excellent large micro of light-orange laviosierite (a 2012 complex manganese aluminum silicate) in a schist matrix from the type locality of Punta Gensane, Viù, Viù Valley, Lanzo Valley, Sesia-Lanzo zone, Torino Province, Piedmont, Italy. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 26
Lawsonite in Glaucophane Fine layers of peach lawsonite (a calcium aluminum hydroxysilicate) and blue-gray glaucophane (an inosilicate) form this schist from Tres Pinos, San Benito County, California. Lawsonite's dimorphous with parthéite, and may form incomplete series with hennomartinite (its strontium manganese analog) and noelbensonite (its barium manganese analog). Thanks to Wayne Bloechl's (GeoJoe's) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lawsonite Lavender lawsonite litters a chlorite schist matrix in this large miniature from the type locality of Reed Station, Tiburon Peninsula, Marin County, California. Thanks to Tom Lettier and Ken Balthazor's (The California Crystal Connection) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lawsonite A small cabinet specimen of sharp lawsonite crystals in glaucophane also from Reed Station. This specimen dates from the early 1950s - there's now a housing development on this site, so that's the last of the lawsonites from the type locality. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the images!
Row 27
Lawsonite, var. Chromian Lawsonite Chromium can replace part of the aluminum in lawsonite, resulting in a beautiful pine-green color. This thumbnail of chrome lawsonite and brown ankerite in a purplish-blue glaucophane / silvery paragonite matrix is from the 2010 find at what is arguably the varietal type locality of Cape Marmari, Grammata Bay, Syros Island, Cyclade Islands, Kykládes Prefecture, Aegean Islands Department, Greece. The sparsely vegetated valleys around Cape Marmari all have this silvery-indigo tone to them. Thanks to John Veevaert at Trinity Minerals for the specimen and the images! Thanks also to Dr. Maarten Broekmans for the identification of the association!	Leucophanite An excellent group of light-yellow leucophanite (a complex sodium calcium beryllium silicate) crystals on matrix from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint Hilaire, Rouville County, Québec, Canada. They fluoresce a beautiful bright pink under longwave UV. This thumbnail was collected in September 2003 by Jonathan Levinger. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Lileyite A micro of a red-brown, platy, translucent crystal of lileyite (a complex barium titanium silicate) in matrix from the type locality of Löhley, Üdersdorf, Daun, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Thanks to Helmut Braith's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 28
Macfallite The brownish-orange clusters are macfallite, a calcium manganese akuminum silicate, on a matrix of black orientite (a calcium manganese "triple" sorosilicate), grayish-brown braunite (a mixed manganese and silicon oxide), and quartz. This rare manganese mineral association comes from Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County Michigan. Thanks to Alexander Falster's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Macfallite The (black) macfallite crystals are much more visible in this miniature from the type locality of the Manganese Mine, Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County, Michigan. Thanks to Mike Basal's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Medaite A micro of brownish-red medaite (a very rare manganese vanadatopentasilicate) in matrix from the type locality of the Molinello Mine, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 29
Melilite Melilite now refers to a group of minerals. This thumbnail of long slender melilite prisms comes from Inspiration, Arizona - unfortunately there are over a dozen "Inspirations" in Arizona so I can't localize the location either. Thanks to Jennifer Finley's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Melilite This small-cabinet specimen from Canal Street, Hancock, Houghton County, Michigan is composed of rough melilite crystals in copper smelter slag. Thanks to John Landmesser's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Melilite An excellent and classic miniature of orange melilite, colorless blocky nepheline and acicular fluorapatite, and dark-green pyroxene on matrix from Löhley, Üdersdorf, Daun, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 30
Meliphanite Light yellow massive meliphanite (a complex calcium sodium beryllium silicate in matrix with black annite (mica) from the type locality of Langesundsfjord, Vestfold, Norway. Thanks to Dr. Wilfried Steffens' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Mosandrite A miniature of mosandrite crystals in aegirine in a nepheline syenite matrix from Kringlerne, Ilimaussaq, Greenland. The pink mineral (larger image, bottom) may be eudialyte, for which Ilimaussaq is the type locality. Thanks to Anthony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Mukhinite A small cabinet specimen of dendritic growth of tiny black mukhinite (the vanadium analog of epidote) crystals in matrix from either Kazakhstan or Russia. Thanks to Ruth Winfield's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 31
Nabalamprophyllite A rich miniature of yellow-brown nabalamprophyllite (a barium titanium sodium complex silicate) crystals in a natrolite-pectolite matrix from the co-type locality of the Kovdor Phlogopite Mine, Kovdor Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Nabalamprophyllite from this locale is monoclinic - Lovozero specimens are orthorhombic. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Niocalite Tiny tabular yellow crystals (larger image, bottom right, circled) of niocalite (a calcium niobium silicate) in a calcite and magnetite matrix comprise this miniature from the type locality of the Québec Columbium Property in Oka, Deux-Montagnes County, Québec, Canada. The larger image (top right) shows what may be columbite. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe's (Summit Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Normandite A miniature of radiant rust-colored normandite (a complex manganese calcium titanium niobium silicate) on matrix from Khibiny, Kola, Russia. It's the calcium titanium dominant analog of lavenite. Thanks to Kevin Ward at the The Mineral Gallery for the specimen and the image!
Row 32
Parakeldyshite A micro of pale-blue parakeldyshite (zirconium sodium silicate) and aegirine in matrix from Bratthagen, Lagendalen, Hedrum, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway. In humid environments parakeldyshite is often coated with keldyshite. Thanks to Dr. Victoria Borner's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Perraultite A nice micro of orange perraultite (a manganese barium titanium complex silicate) grains in matrix from the Dmitrievskii quarry, Oktyabr'skii Massif, Azov Sea Region, Donetsk, Ukraine. It's the manganese analog of jinshajiangite and the titanium analog of bobshannonite. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Piemontite A beautiful miniature of bright red piemontite (or piedmontite - a calcium manganese hydroxysilicate) in matrix from Culp Ridge (Iron Mountain), Adams County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Vince's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 33
Piemontite A pretty miniature of piemontite rosettes on matrix from Langesundsfjorden, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway. Thanks to Alexander Falster's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Pumpellyite Pumpellyite's a calcium aluminosilicate with varying amounts of iron, magnesium, and manganese. There are five pumpellyites (Al, Fe2+, Fe3+, Mg, and Mn2+) - I don't know which one this is. These beautiful fiery green rosettes and clusters with quartz on matrix are from the early 2002 find in Sichuan Province, China - they may also be related to the Luli Mountain, Tibetian ones. These pumpellyites may also be mislabeled epidotes. Thanks to Bob Patak at Shadyside Mining for the specimen!	Pumpellyite-(Al) An excellent thumbnail of pale-grayish-blue pumpellyite-(Al) radial clusters on matrix from the type locality of the La Flèche quarry, Bertrix, Luxembourg Province, Belgium. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 34
Pumpellyite-(Fe++) An excellent thumbnail of pale-greenish-white pumpellyite-(Fe++) (ferropumpellyite) radial clusters on matrix from the Los Arenales quarry, Mt. La Rocha de Piquer, Torás, Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain. It forms a series with Julgoldite-(Fe++) where ferric iron replaces the aluminum. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Pumpellyite-(Mg) A nice miniature of light-green pumpellyite-(Mg) with white albite on quartz from Obrí dul, Krkonose Mtn, Hradec Králové Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic. It forms a series with Julgoldite-(Fe++) where ferrous iron replaces the magnesium. Thanks to Robert Vano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Rankinite A miniature of white rankinite (calcium pyrosilicate) crystals on matrix from the Hatrurim Formation, Negev, Israel. Lead-doped synthetic rankinite is an ultraviolet phosphor. Thanks to Tal Yariv's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 35
Rinkite A thumbnail of white rinkite (a calcium cerium complex silicate) radiating clusters from the Demix-Varennes quarry, Saint-Amable sill, Montérégie, Québec, Canada. Ex: W. & A. Cook Collection with a Mineral Zone tag. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Rosenbuschite Tan laths of rosenbuschite (a complex calcium zirconium silicate) in schist from Norra Karr, Granna, Jonkoping Smaland, Sweden. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Rosenhahnite An excellent small-cabinet specimen of beige rosenhahnite (a calcium hydroxytrisilicate) on matrix from probably the type locality of the Russian River, near Cloverdale, Mendocino County, California. Some references show a small amount of carbonate in the composition. It has a Nature's Trasures (Torrance, CA) tag. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 36
Rosenhahnite A 10cm lightly-polished slab of a brownish-yellow rosenhahnite vein in a crystalline zeolite matrix from the Nello Teer Quarry, Mill Grove, Durhan County, North Carolina. Ex: Robert F. Ray Collection with a Mineral Zone tag. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ruizite This miniature of red-brown ruizite (a hydrated manganese calcium hydroxysilicate) on matrix is from the one-time (literally one-boulder) find in Oct 2007 at the now off-limits dump at the Cornwall Mines, Cornwall Borough, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It occurs with white fibrous clinoenstatite and colorless hydroxyapophyllite-(K) prisms. See the Mineral Bliss article for more details on the find. It's the first mineral with a pure tetraorthosilicate (Si4O13) structure. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!.	Saneroite A beautiful micro of bright-red sameroite (a manganese sodium iron hydroxyvanadatosilicate) crystals on matrix from the co-type locality of the Molinello Mine, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the photo!
Row 37
Schüllerite An excellent micro of thin brown tabular schullerite (a complex barium iron titanium silicate) crystals in matrix from the type locality of Löhley, Üdersdorf, Daun, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This has been analyzed (schullerite and lileyite are visually indistinguishable. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Shuiskite A miniature of very rare shuiskite (a hydrated calcium chromium silicate and the chromium analog of pumpellyite) with uvarovite on a chromite matrix from the Saranovskii Mine, Ural Mountains, Russia. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Shuiskite A micro of shuiskite from the Saranovskii Mine - the crystals here are more clumped together. Thanks to Sönke Stolze's Systematic-Minerals.com auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 38
Suolunite Until 1997, suolunite, a hydrated calcium hydroxysilicate, was only found as small grains. Then, one pocket at the LAB Black Lake Mine in Black Lake, Mégantic County, Québec, Canada was found which contained only around 40 pieces of crystalline suolunite - this thumbnail fragment is from that now decommissioned collection of 40 pieces. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the Arkenstone link!	Sursassite This small miniature of reddish-brown sursassite (a hydrated manganese aluminum hydroxysilicate) sprays on matrix is from the Strategic Manganese Mine, Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Thalénite-(Y) An excellent micro of reddish-tan thalenite-(Y), an yttrium hydroxysilicate, from Åskagen, Persberg district, Filipstad, Värmland, Sweden. It's the hydroxyl analog of fluorthalenite-(Y). Thanks to Helmut Braith's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 39
Thortveitite An excellent, somewhat oriented miniature cluster of thortveitite (scandium yttrium silicate) crystals, certainly from Iveland, Norway - maybe even from the type locality of Ljoslandsknipan. It forms incomplete series with Keiviite-(Y) and Keiviite-(Yb). Thortveitite's the principal ore of scandium. Thanks to Robert Omestad's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Tilleyite A miniature of gray tilleyite (calcium carbonatosillicate) in a white skarn matrix from the type locality of the Crestmore quarries, Crestmore, Riverside County, California. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Tiragalloite A sharp micro of tiragalloite (a very rare manganese arsenatotrisilicate) on matrix from the type locality of the Molinello Mine, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Synthetic arsenosilicate glasses are used as dielectric coatings and layers in semiconductors. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 40
Vesuvianite This rich brown vesuvianite is from the Poudrette Quarruy, Mont St-Hilaire, Montreal, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Daniel Comtois at Daniel Comtois - Québec Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite More Canadian vesuvianite - this beautiful light green one's from the famous Jeffrey Mine near Asbestos, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Doug Wahl's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite Almost a cubic inch of golden brown vesuvianite crystal from Lake Jaco, Coahuila, Mexico. Thanks to Bill Kohout's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 41
Vesuvianite Vesuvianite's often called idocrase, especially by jewelers when it occurs in a massive translucent habit as in this polished slab from Pulga, Butte County, California. Thanks to Bill Awald's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Vesuvianite Beautiful light green prisms of vesuvianite from Eden Mills, Lamoille County, Vermont. Thanks to Dan Wienrich's Dan & Jill Weinrich auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite Small but classic tetragonal dipyramidal crystals of golden-brown vesuvianite on matrix from Lake Jaco, Coahuila, Mexico. It has a Dale Minerals International label with it. Thanks to Wayne Rudolph's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 42
Vesuvianite A miniature of pale yellow-green vesuvianites on matrix from the Jeffrey Mine. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Vesuvianite A miniature of dark brown vesuvianites on matrix (collected in the 1990s) from Val D'Aosta, Italy. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite A large thumbnail of pink and tan vesuvianites from the Jeffrey Quarry, Asbestos, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 43
Vesuvianite An excellent big textbook brown vesuvianite crystal from the 2003 find in Boumia, Merloden, Morocco. Thanks to Eric Greene's (Treasure Mountain Mining) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vesuvianite A nice miniature of bright vesuvianites collected in 1975 from the type locality of Monte Somma, Vesuvius, Naples Province, Campania, Italy - the larger image (bottom center and right) show a couple unidentified minerals. Thanks to Alessandro Genazzani's (ItalianMinerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vesuvianite This miniature of vesuvianite crystals on matrix may also be from the type locality - they're from somewhere in Italy. Thanks to Lynda McDowell's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 44
Vesuvianite Another large vesuvianite crystal - this miniature was collected in 1973 from Chute Prospect, Casco, Cumberland County, Maine. Thanks to Tom Klinepeter's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite This vesuvianite thumbnail is from a railroad cut near Minerva, Essex County, New York. I've been told that this may be a new vesuvianite species. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Vesuvianite A thumbnail of gemmy yellow vesuvianite from the Jeffrey Mine. Thanks to Walter Mroch's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 45
Vesuvianite Another Jeffrey Mine miniature - lime green on one side, lavender on the other. The larger image (bottom) shows a crystal that's both colors. There won't be any new specimens like this - the mine's closed and flooded. Thanks to Eric Greene's (Treasure Mountain Mining) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vesuvianite A beautiful miniature of dark yellow gemmy vesuvianite and deep-green clinochlore on matrix from Felskinn, Saas Fee, Wallis, Switzerland. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite A miniature of light-yellow vesuvianite crystals on matrix from Darburuq, Somaliland. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 46
Vesuvianite An old (the box has 15¢ written on it) miniature of dark brown vesuvianite crystals on matrix from Stafford, Maine.	Vesuvianite A beautiful sharp 15mm vesuvianite crystal complete with corner mods from Sierra de Cruces, Mun. de Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico. Thanks to Doug Wahl's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vesuvianite, var Ambosellite Ambosellite's the preliminary name give to this new (2004) color-change variety of vesuvianite - the darker green crystals may be a chromian subvariety. Ambosellite exhibits a green to orange color change (somewhat visible by comparing my photos with Anthony's (larger image, top vs. bottom) - a better color-change image is here. The upper right image also shows a great amount of fire. Ambosellite has been XRD-analyzed by CSIRO (Perth) and found to be vesuvianite (originally thought to be of the epidote family) with typical values for S.G., R.I., and dispersion. This miniature of ambosellite on blue calcite on limestone comes from tanzanite country in Africa. Thanks to Anthony Leach's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! Thanks also to Martin Read for the compositional update!
Row 47
Vesuvianite, var. Chrome-Vesuvianite An old miniature of chrome vesuvianite from the Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen!	Vesuvianite, var. Chrome-Vesuvianite A miniature of chrome vesuvianite from the 2002 find at the Jeffrey Mine. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Vesuvianite, var. Cyprine A pair of cyprine (or cuprian vesuvianite) thumbnails from the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan - their color is due to trace amounts of copper. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 48
Vesuvianite, var. Manganoan Vesuvianite This lavender vesuvianite is also from the Jeffrey Mine. This locale is arguably the type locality for this manganese-rich variety. Thanks to Walter Mroch's (The Gem and Mineral Exploration Company) auction for the specimen and the image!	Vuonnemite A micro of pale-yellow platy vuonnemite (a complex sodium niobium titanium phosphatosilicate) crystals in matrix from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. It's a member of the murmanite group. Thanks to Michael Swanson's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Vyuntspakhkite A tiny whitish flake of vyuntspakhkite-(Y) - a rare-earth aluminosilicate from the Stetind pegmatite, Tysfjord, Nordland, Norway. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 49
Wiluite Wiluite's one of the relatively new (1990s) minerals - this cluster comes from the type locality, the Wilui River basin in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), northeast Siberia, Russia. It's isostructural with the vesuvianite group and is associated with wollastonite and olive-green grossulars (viluites). Thanks to Jim Keough's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Wöhlerite A thumbnail of brwonish-red wöhlerite (woehlerite, a complex calcium zirconium niobium silicate) with an unidentified bl;ack mineral in matrix (probably) from the Saga I Quarry, Strandåsen, (Tvedalen), Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway. Thanks to Ingo Drescher's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Yoshimuraite A reference miniature of dark-brown crystals of yoshimuraite (a complex barium manganese titanium silicophosphate) from the typr locality of the Noda-Tamagawa mine, Iwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region, Honshu Island, Japan. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 50
Zunyite An excellent miniature of zunyite tetrahedra (some with red centers (larger image, closeups) from oriented hematite needles) on a diaspore matrix from the farm Doornfontein M82, northwest of Postmasburg, Cape Province, South Africa. This specimen was collected in the early 1950s by George Burnham of Burminco in Monrovia. Thanks to Anthony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Zunyite A rare small-cabinet specimen of brownish-gray zunyite (a complex aluminum hydroxysilicate) octahedra in matrix from the Big Bertha Mine, Quartzsite, La Paz County, Arizona. Thanks to Stephen Hernly's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Zunyite A nice miniature of sulfide-included zunyite crystals in diaspore from the type locality of the Zuni Mine, Anvil Mountain, West of Silverton, San Juan County, Colorado. It was collected by Robert Stoufer in 1992 and has a $60 tag. Thanks to Robert Stoufer's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!

maintained by: Alan Guisewite

Last Update 26 Feb 2017