Mineral Collection Images

My Mineral Collection, Systematic Cyclosilicates Page

In cyclosilicates, often called "ring silicates", the silicate tetrahedrons can occur in 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, (and larger) member rings. Because of the cyclosilicates' hardness, range of colors, and (often) transparency, a lot of them are used as gems.
Cyclosilicates on Other Pages
See my gemstones page for benitoite, beryl, sugilite, and tourmaline. Chrysocolla, dioptase, and papagoite are on my copper minerals page. Ashburtonite and margarosanite are on my lead minerals page.
Specimens on This Page (links take you to either the first or only specimen)
andrianovite, armenite baotite, baratovite, brannockite calciocatapleiite, catapleiite, cerchiaraite-(Fe), chayesite, clinophosinaite, cordierite eudialyte (including a beautiful individually-crystallized miniature!), a fascinating altered eudialyte, and (varieties niobian eudialyte and two kakortokites) ferroaxinite, ferroindialite, ferrokentbrooksite gaidonnayite, gjerdingite-(Fe), golyshevite ikranite, imandrite, indialite joaquinite kainosite, karupmoellerite-Ca, katayamalite, kazakovite, korobitsynite, kostylevite, kuzmenkoite-Mn labuntsovite, labuntsovite-Fe, labuntsovite-Mg, labuntsovite-Mn, lemmleinite-Ba, litvinskite magnesio-axinite, megacyclite, milarite, muirite natrokomarovite, nenadkevichite odintsovite, oneillite, osumilite, osumilite-(Mg) petarasite raslakite, rastsvetaevite sekaninaite taramellite, tinzenite, tisinalite, titantaramellite, traskite, tsepinite-Ca verplanckite, voronkovite, vuoriyarvite-K wadeite, walstromite zirsilite-(Ce), zirsinalite

31 Rows
Andrianovite A large micro of pale-yellow andrianovite (a complex sodium calcium manganese nine-ring silicate) crystals on a microcline-aegirine matrix with lamprophyllite and possibly lorenzenite from the type and only locality of Koashva Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. It's a member of the eudialyte group. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Armenite A small miniature of massive white armenite (a hydrated barium calcium alumosilicate) from the Remigny armenite occurrence, Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. The pink mineral is thulite (manganian zoisite). It'a a member of the osumilite (milarite) group. Thanks to Reiner Mielke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Armenite A sharp colorless armenite crystal in a micro from Isenwegg, Wasen Alp, Ganter valley, Simplon pass area, Brig, Wallis, Switzerland. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 2
Baotite An excellent miniature of black baotite (a complex barium titanium niobium silicate) in tan quartz from the type locality of the Bayan Obo deposit, Bayan Obo Mining District, Baotou Prefecture, Inner Mongolia, China. Thanks to George Stevens' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Baratovite A nice miniature of white baratovite (a complex calcium titanium zirconium fluorosilicate) with black aegirine and pink miserite from the type locality of the Dara-i-Pioz Glacier, Alayskiy (Alai) Range, Tien Shan Mountains, Tajikistan. It's the titanium analog of aleksandrovite (Sn). Thanks to Dru Wilbur's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Brannockite Brannockite's another member of the osumilte group - this thumbnail from the type locality of the Foote Mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina has colorless hexxagonal prisms with pinacoidal terminations. It's a potassium tin lithium silicate Thanks to Rick Dillinger's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 3
Brannockite A second brannockite from the Foote Mine - this micro shows a different habit; radiating clusters. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Calciocatapleiite A good thumbnail of white layered calciocatapleiite (a calcium zirconium silicate) with reddish-purple zircon and black aegirine from Norra Karr, Granna, Jonkoping, Smaland, Sweden. It's the calcium analog of catapleiite. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Catapleiite Catapleiite's a rare sodium zirconium silicate (and dimorphic with gaidonnayite) - the best specimens (like this one) come from Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. It's the sodium analog of calciocatapleiite. Thanks to Shields Flynn at Trafford | Flynn for the specimen and the image!
Row 4
Catapleiite Another Mont St. Hilaire catapleiite. Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Catapleiite An excellent thumbnail of brownish-orange catapleiite crystals on matrix with colorless natrolite from the Ice River Alkaline Complex, Golden Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks to Stephen Hernly's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Catapleiite A beautiful pink catapleiite crystal on matrix from Mont Saint-Hilaire. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 5
Catapleiite An excellent micro of catapleiite clusters with epididymite and dolomite from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada. Ex: Roy Grim Collection. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Cerchiaraite-(Fe) An excellent miniature of blue cerchiaraite-(Fe) grains and aggregates in matrix from the Gun Claim, MacMillian Pass, Itsy Mountains, Yukon Territory, Canada. It's a barium ferric-iron complex silicate - the pleochroic blue color is due to a small amount of ferrous iron creating an Fe2+ - Fe3+ IVCT. So far, only the cerchiaraite-(Fe) from here is blue - in other locales the ferrous iron is absent and the normal yellow-tan grains occur (as in my next specimen from California). Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Cerchiaraite-(Fe) As mentioned in my other cerchiaraite-(Fe) entry, this micro is from the co-type locality of the Esquire No. 8 claim, Big Creek, Rush Creek deposit, Fresno County, California, and displays the species' typical light-yellow grains in matrix. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!
Row 6
Chayesite A large micro of a deep-blue chayesite (a ferrosoferric magnesium potassium silicate) crystal in matrix from the Sierra de las Cabras, Cancarix, Hellín, Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Chayesite is often oxidized to a brown merrihueite coating. Thanks to Ana Cubillo Leivas' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinophosinaite Pale-pink to pale-lilac clinophosinaite (a sodium calcium phosphatosilicate) in a nepheline-orthoclase matrix from the Tsentral'nyi Mine, Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Strontium often replaces a tiny amount of the calcium. Synthetic clinophosinaite is under investigation as part of an enhanced tissue engineering scaffold biomaterial. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Cordierite Cordierite's one of the most obvious pleichroic minerals - one of its early names was dichroite. The closeup of this Madagascaran specimen shows the straw and violet colors at the ends of a 90° rotation. It's also called iolite and water sapphire in the jewelry trade. Cordierite is orthorhombic dimorph of hexagonal indialite. Thanks to Alexander Falster's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 7
Cordierite Here's a thumbnail cleavage fragment of cordierite from Coroaci, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Synthetic cordierite is an excellent insulator - used for, among othre things, pizza stones and kiln shelves. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Eudialyte This massive eudialyte comes from Kipawa, Villedieu Township, Témiscamingue County, Québec, Canada. There's enough zirconium in eudialyte (9%) and enough eudialyte that it could be a future source of this strategically important metal. It's also one end of a two-member series with alluaivite and heads the eudialyte group - a group, which according to some sources, could number in the thousands! Thanks to Chris Wright at Wright's Rock Shop for the specimen and the image!	Eudialyte A beautiful miniature of eudialyte, also from Kipawa.
Row 8
Eudialyte A big miniature of bright eudialyte from Kipawa. The group that collects eudialyte from Kipawa is not planning to return anytime soon. Thanks to John & Maryanne Fender's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Eudialyte A beautiful and rare miniature of gemmy eudialyte crystals! in a vug from Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Eudialyte A beautiful eudialyte miniature from the Kola Peninsula, Russia. Thanks to Valery & Alexander Geringer's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 9
Eudialyte (altered) Eudialyte often alters to other minerals - in this miniature from Magnet Cove, Hot Spring County, Arkansas, the eudialyte has altered to opaque pink barytolamprophyllite. The matrix contains nepheline, microcline and aegerine - the black edges of the eudialyte are manganese oxides. Ex: Carl Richardson Collection with a Mineral Zone tag. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! Thanks also to Alexander Falster for the identification of the barytolamprophyllite!	Eudialyte, var. Niobian Eudialyte A miniature of dark reddish-brown niobium-rich (replacing some of the zirconium) eudialyte in matrix from Brevik, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Eudialyte, var. Kakortokite A beautiful small cabinet polished slab of eudialyte from N'orkpakhk Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia. This material comprising black arfvedsonite, off-white nepheline syenite, and eudialyte grains is called kakortokite (after Kakortok in Greenland). Thanks to Mirek Dorejko's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 10
Eudialyte, var. Kakortokite Sometimes in kakortokite, the white nepheline syenite becomes the backdrop for individual eudialyte and arfvedsonite crystals, as in this beautiful miniature from the Ilimaussaq Complex in Greenland - the type locality for eudialyte. Thanks to Peter Lindberg's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Eudialyte, var. Kakortokite A beautiful kakortokite pendant from the Ilimaussaq Complex in Greenland.	Ferroaxinite Small but nice ferroaxinite (a calcium iron aluminum hydroxyborosilicate) blades from the Jensen Quarry, Riverside, California. Since ferroaxinite is by far the most common of the axinite group, most collectors just call them axinite. Thanks to Chris Korpi at Pangaea Minerals for the specimen!
Row 11
Ferroaxinite An excellent specimen full of ferroaxinite blades from the Verchniy Mine, Primorski Krai, Dalnegorsk, Russia.	Ferroaxinite I have two ferroaxinites from the Pampa Blanca Mine, near Pisco, Ica, Peru - I love the color and the intense trichroism. Thanks to Anne & Charles Steuart's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Ferroaxinite A single ferroaxinite crystal thumbnail from Riverside County, California. Thanks to Doug Wahl's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 12
Ferroaxinite A beautiful ferroaxinite crystal thumbnail from the original find at the New Melones Dam, Calaveras County, California. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Ferroindialite A good thumbnail of a least one bluish-gray ferroindialite (an iron magnesium aluminosilicate) crystal in matrix from the type locality of the Bellerberg volcano, Ettringen, Mayen, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It's the ferrous analog of indialite. Thanks to Sönke Stolze's Systematic-Minerals.com auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Ferrokentbrooksite A thumbnail of one crystal and a few crystal sections of orange ferrokentbrooksite (a sodium zirconium calcium iron complex silicate) in matrix from the type locality of the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada. Ex: Tony Gordian Collection, and the 2009 Tucson Show. It's a member of the eudialyte group. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 13
Gaidonnayite Sharp crystals of gaidonnayite (a sodium zirconium triple-ring silicate and dimorph of catapleiite) on matrix comprise this large thumbnail from the co-type locality of the Poudrette Quarry, Mont St. Hilaire, Québec, Canada. It forms an incomplete series with georgechaoite where potassium replaces some of the sodium. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Gjerdingenite-Fe A tiny cluster of pale-yellow gjerdingite-(Fe) (a hydrated niobium potassium titanium iron silicate) prisms on matrix comprises this micro from the type locality of Gjerdingselva, Nordmarka, Lunner, Oppland, Norway. It has a 2010 Tony Jones tag, It's the iron analog of gjerdingite-(Mn) and is a member of the labuntsovite group. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Golyshevite Another member of the eudialyte group, this small miniature of glassy brown golyshevite (a hydrated zirconium calcium sodium iron carbonatosilicate) crystals in a thomsonite-(Ca) - pectolite matrix comes from the type and only locality of the Kovdor Phlogopite Mine, Kovdor Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 14
Ikranite An excellent micro of brownish-red ikranite (a hydrated zirconium sodium calcium manganese silicate) with black aegirine from the type locality of Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. This member of the eudialyte group is the first where ferric iron prevails over ferrous. Some ikranites show a violet-red rim which may be an unconfirmed oxi-ikranite. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Imandrite From only the second known location of Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia, comes this tiny fragment of reddish-brown imandrite (a sodium calcium iron silicate). This is a member of the microporous zeolite-like lovozerite group. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Indialite A good miniature of white tabular indialite (an aluminum magnesium aluminosilicate) crystals on matrix from the Caspar Quarry, Bellerberg, Ettrungen, Mayen, Eifel, Germany. Indialite is the high-temperature hexagonal dimorph of orthorhombic cordierite, the magnesium analog of ferroindialite, and a member of the beryl group. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 15
Indialite This miniature of tiny orange indialite crystals in matrix comes from the Kladno Mine, Libusín, Kladno, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. I do not know what makes these usually colorless crystals orange at this locale. Thanks to Robert Vano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Joaquinite-(Ce) Tiny golden-brown crystals of joaquinite-(Ce) (a hydrated cerium barium niobium iron titanium fluorohydroxysilicate) on matrix from (probably) the Dallas Gem Mine in San Benito County, California. It's dimorphic with Joaquinite-(Ce). Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen!	Kainosite-(Y) This thumbnail has a nice sharp, pinkish, 3 mm. x 3 mm. crystal of kainosite-(Y) (a hydrated yttrium calcium cerium carbonate-silicate) from a roadcut during the cutting back to alleviate rock slides on Route 30, northwest of Long Lake, Hamilton County, New York. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 16
Karupmoellerite-Ca This small miniature of pale-pink karupmoellerite-Ca (a niobium titanium calcium silicate) crystals in matrix comes from Rischorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia and is a member of the labuntsovite group. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Katayamalite A thumbnail of white katayamalite (a complex calcium titanium silicate) and black aegirine on matrix from the type (and only) locality of Iwagi Island, Inland Sea, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It has a Cureton Mineral Company tag. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Kazakovite An excellent micro of yellowish-brown kazakovite (a sodium titanium manganese silicate) on an ussingite matrix with dark-brown kapustinite (a sodium zirconium hydroxysilicate) from the Palitra pegmatite, Kedykverpakhk Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. The Palitra pegmatite is the type locality for kapustinite. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 17
Korobitsynite A good micro of shining vitreous needles of korobitsynite (a hydrated titanium sodium niobium hydroxyoxysilicate) on matrix (larger image, right) from the co-type locality of Alluaiv Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Kostylevite A nice miniature of pale-brown kostylevite (a hydrated zirconium potassium silicate) sprays on matrix from the Koashva Open Pit, Koashva Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Kuzmenkoite-Mn An excellent miniature of yellow-orange prismatic kuzmenkoite-Mn (a hydrated titanium potassium manganese hydroxyoxysilicate) crystals in an altered murmanite matrix from the type locality of Mount Flora, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. It's a member of the labuntsovite group and is the manganese analog of kuzmenkoite-Zn. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 18
Labuntsovite Labuntsovite is in the same group as nenadkevichite - it's a hydrated complex barium potassium manganese iron titanosilicate. This thumbnail from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada has, in addition to the red labuntsovite (larger image, center panel), gray sodalite and micro pyrite cubes (larger image, bottom panel). There are three labuntsovites; Labuntsovite‑Fe, Labuntsovite‑Mg, and Labuntsovite‑Mn - this is probably the manganoan (and original) member, it's the only one that MinDat lists at MSH. Thanks to Emilie & Ron Kendig's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Labuntsovite-Fe A good micro of orange labuntsovite‑Fe crystals on matrix from the Kovdor Zheleznyi Mine, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Ferrous iron predominates over manganese in this member of the family. It has a Marco Poli Micromounts tag. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Labuntsovite-Mg An excellent small miniature of white labuntsovite-Mg crystals on matrix with pale-brown catapleiite rosettes and light-yellow dolomite from the type locality of the Kovdor Zheleznyi Mine, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. The labuntsovite‑Mg from this locale is relatively iron-free; other places iron as an impurity colors it orange-brown. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 19
Labuntsovite-Mn This micro of orangeish-red labuntsovite‑Mn crystals on matrix is from Mont St. Hilaire. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lemmleinite-Ba A pretty micro of deep-orange lemmleinite-Ba (a hydrated titanium barium potassium hydroxyoxysilicate) crystals on matrix from the Kovdor Zheleznyi Mine, Kovdor Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Very few specimens have been found since the intial discovery in the mid-90s. It's the barium analogue of Lemmleinite-K. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Litvinskite An excellent micro of dark-red litvinskite (a zirconium sodium manganese hydroxyoxysilicate) and dark-green aegirine on matrix from Kukisvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmanskaya, Russia. Thanks to Sönke Stolze's Systematic-Minerals.com auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 20
Magnesio-axinite My other axinites are ferroaxinites (the most common) - this one, because of its pale color, may be magnesio-axinite. It's from the Pampa Blanca Mine, Ica, Peru and has epidote scattered about. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Manganoeudialyte A small cabinet specimen of bright pink manganoeudialyte aggregates on matrix with dark-green aegirine from the type locality of Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Manganese replaces the ferrous iron "completely" here. The yellowish-white mineral (larger image, bottom panel, right) might be rinkite-(Ce). Thanks to Tony Nikischer's Excalibur Mineral Company auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Megacyclite A good micro of white megacyclite (a hydrated sodium potassium hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the type locality of Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmanskaya', Russia. Megacyclite turns white on extended exposure to air. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 21
Milarite This pale lime green milarite (a member of the osumilite group) comes from Jaguaracu pegmatite, Jaguaracu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Richard Dale at Dale Minerals International for the specimen and the image!	Milarite Occasionally, milarite is clean enough to facet - this pale yellow prism is from the type locality of Val Giuv (Val Milar), Rueras, Val Tavetsch, Grischun (Grisons; Graubünden), Switzerland. Thanks to Sharon Cisneros at the Mineralogical Research Company for the specimen and the image!	Muirite An excellent miniature of orange submilliter muirite (a complex barium calcium manganese silicate) grains in a sanbornite matrix from the type locality of the Esquire #7 claim, Big Creek, Fresno County, California. There's also some pyrrhotite and tiny yellow grains of fresnoite present. Ex: Phillips Collection with a Minerals Unlimited tag. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!
Row 22
Natrokomarovite An excellent micro of light-pink natrokomarovite (a hydrated niobium sodium silicate) from the type locality of the Kukisvumchorr Mountains, Khibiny Massif, Kola, Russia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Nenadkevichite Nenadkevichite is a hydrated niobium titanium hydroxysilicate - this thumbnail, with small rhodochrosite crystals, comes from the famous Poudrette Quarry, Mont St. Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada. Like labuntsovite, its structure is a four-membered silicate ring and it forms a complete series with korobitsynite where titanium predominates. Thanks to Tim Jokela, Jr. at Element 51 for the specimen!	Nenadkevichite A beautiful sharp light-pink nenadkevichite crystal on matrix comprises this micro, also from MSH. Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 23
Odintsovite A gelcap of light-liliac odintsovite (a calcium titanium silicate) from the type locality of the dumps of the U adit, Malyi Murun Massif, Irkutskaya, Prebaikalia, Russia. The dark-green pieces are aegirine. This specimen is ex-collection of standards of Eugenii I. Semenov from author Alexei A. Konev and is part of Konev's initial single find in 1963. Thanks to Pavel Kartasov's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Oneillite A rich small-cabinet specimen of granular red oneillite (a sodium zirconium manganese silicate) in a syenite matrix from the Pedra Balăo outcrops, Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Even though MinDat doesn't show oneillite at this locality and oneillite looks a lot like manganoeudialyte - for which this is the type locality - the composition has been confirmed by EDS. Thanks to Kerry Day's (Kaygeedee Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Osumilite Black pinacoidally-terminated hexagonal prisms of osumilite (an aluminum ferrosoferric silicate) are scattered on the matrix of this miniature from Monte Arci, Marrubiu, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It forms a series with osumilite-(Mg). Thanks to Debra Zakarin's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 24
Osumilite A thumbnail of dark-blue osumilite crystal clusters in a rhyolite matrix from Funtanafigu quarry, Marrubiu, Mt Arci, Oristano Province, Sardinia, Italy. Thanks to Sue Silver's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Osumilite Another osumilte from the Funtanafigu quarry - this micro has a very sharp tabular hexagonal crystal. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Osumilite A miniature of dark-orange osumilites in matrix - from Sardinia, Italy - probably the Funtanafigu quarry. Thanks to Brad Hilken's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 25
Osumilite-(Mg) This large micro of glassy deep-blue osumilite-(Mg) crystals in dacite vugs comes from Yamanoguchi, Iriki, Kyushu Region, Japan. It forms a series with osumilite where magnesium replaces the ferrous iron. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Petarasite Tiny pink clusters of petarasite (a hydrated zirconium sodium six-ring hydroxychlorosilicate) from the type locality of Mont St. Hilaire, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Raslakite An excellent small miniature of deep-red raslakite (a sodium iron complex silicate) in matrix is from the type and only locality of Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Raslakite is occasionally associated with terskite, zakharovite, and aegirine. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!
Row 26
Rastsvetaevite An excellent micro of dark-reddish-pink rastsvetaevite (a sodium zirconium calcium complex silicate) on a small amount of matrix from the type and only locality of Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Sekaninaite Midnight blue sekaninaite from near the type locality of Dolni Bory in Western Moravia, Czechoslovakia. It's a close chemical cousin of beryl and could be used as a gemstone. It forms a series with cordierite (iron replaces some of the magnesium). Thanks to SoCal Nevada's auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Sogdianite An excellent micro of pale pink sogdianite (a zirconium iron potassium silicate) from the type locality of the Darai-Pioz Glacier, Alai Range, Tien Shan Mtn, Tajikistan. It's the zirconium analog of berezanskite and brannockite and a member of the osumilite group. Thanks to Eric Pacifico's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 27
Taramellite Tiny brown crystals of taramellite (a complex barium iron titanium borosilicate) on matrix from Big Creek, Fresno County, California. It forms a complete series with titantaramellite; the iron and titanium switch predominance. This miniature is from the Jack Streeter Collection. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Taramellite This miniature of fibrous dark-red (almost black) taramellite on matrix is from the type locality of the Candoglia marble quarries, Candoglia, Mergozzo, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy. This was difficult to photograph - the larger image shows it better - and, here's a somewhat better closeup.. Thanks to Luca De Battisti's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Tinzenite A beautiful large thumbnail of orange tinzenite (a calcium aluminum manganese iron silicate) flowers on quartz from the Molinello Mine, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. It forms a series with manganaxinite where the iron is completely replaced by manganese. Thanks to Marcelo Behar's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 28
Tinzenite A beautiful sawn endcut miniature of massive tinzenite showing a somewhat radiating structure from the Cassagna Mine near Chiavari in the Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Ex: P. A. Foster, MD Collection (Los Angeles, CA) and Ex: Harold E. Eales Collection, #1291 ($4). Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Tisinalite An excellent micro of yellow-orange tisinalite (a hydrated sodium titanium manganese silicate) grains in matrix with dark-green manganoan aegirine from the Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Somewhere on the Kola Peninsula is the type locality, but the tag is not specific enough. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Titantaramellite Dark brown titantaramellite crystal fragments in matrix comprise this micro from the co-type locality of the Esquire No. 7 claim, Big Creek, Rush Creek deposit, Fresno County, California. It forma a complete series with taramellite where the ferric iron predominates. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 29
Traskite An excellent miniature of red-brown traskite (a very complex hydrated barium 12-membered-ring silicate) in matrix from the type locality of Fresno County, California. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Tsepinite-Ca An excellent large micro of beige tsepinite-Ca (a hydrated titanium niobium calcium silicate) crystals on matrix from the type locality of the Hackman Valley, Yukspor Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmanskaya, Russia. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Verplanckite Like my taramellite, this orange verplanckite (a complex barium manganese iron silicate) on sanbornite matrix also came from the Big Creek, 5 miles NE of Trimmer, Fresno County, California (its co-type locality). Once considered a zeolite, it's now grouped here with the cyclosilicates. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 30
Voronkovite An excellent micro of brownish-red voronkovite (a hydrated sodium zirconium manganese complex silicate) on matrix from the Shkatulka hyperalkaline pegmatite body at the type locality of Alluaiv Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja, Russia. Voronkovite's a very rare member of the eudialyte group and the oneillite subgroup (which also includes raslakite). Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vuoriyarvite-K A good large micro of pale-beige vuoriyarvite-k (a hydrated niobium potassium hydroxyoxysilicate) prisms with colorless natrolite on matrix from Eveslogchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmanskaya, Russia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Wadeite A beautiful thumbnail of lavender wadeite (a potassium zirconium three-ring silicate) crystals on matrix, collected in the 1990s from Lovozero, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Synthetic wadeite has been used as the solid electrolyte in a novel hydrogen sensor (US Patent #4,976,991) - this gas sensor [presumably] operates near room temperature with a "very short" response time, unlike traditional semiconductor hydrogen gas sensors which are operated at several hundred degrees C and have a "very long" response time. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's (Jonathan's Mineral Exchange) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 31
Walstromite A miniature of pearly white crystals of walstromite (a barium calcium three-ring silicate) in matrix from the Rush Creek area, Fresno County, California. They're hard to see, but their pinkish-orange fluorescence (under both longwave and shortwave) helps them show up (larger image, lower left). Thanks to Tony Nikischer's Excalibur Mineral Company auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Zirsilite-(Ce) A very good miniature of brown zirsilte-(Ce) (a hydrated ceriun zirconium calcium complex silicate) grains on matrix from the Sagĺsen Quarry, Sagĺsen, Mřrje, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway. It's the cerium-dominant analogue of carbokentbrooksite and a member of the eudialyte group. Thanks to Sönke Stolze's Systematic-Minerals.com auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Zirsinalite A good thumbnail of beige zirsinalite (a sodium zirconium silicate) on matrix from Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia. At Mount Rasvumchorr, zirsinalite typically forms as pseudomorphs after eudialyte - zirsinalite then reacts in open air with water and carbon dioxide to form lovozerite. The white crusty mineral is probably thermonatrite, a by-product of that continuing long-term reaction. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!

maintained by: Alan Guisewite

Last Update 9 Jun 2018