Mineral Collection Images

My Mineral Collection, Systematic Phyllosilicates Page

These are my phyllosilicates - they're generally soft but strong minerals and include clays, micas, and the asbestoses. Often called sheet silicates, their structure consists of loosely connected sheets of 4, 6, or 8-tetrahedron rings (or combinations thereof) - the result leads to large directional differences in transparency, hardness, and flexibility.
Phyllosilicates on Other Pages
See more palygorskite on my andradite garnets page. See also ajoite on my copper minerals page. Wickenburgite is on my lead minerals page. Another ephesite, willemseite, and more zinnwaldite are on my oxides page. A little bit of orlymanite is on my inosilicates page.
Phyllosilicate Info
Lepidolite is now a group name for a series of trioctahedral light-colored micas with substantial lithium - the series includes polylithionite and trilithionite. There may be a color-composition relationship here, varying from the traditional lepidolite/trilithionite lavender through colorless to yellow polylithionite. Because they're unanalyzed, my lepidolites will still be called lepidolites even though some of them are yellow. Some of the trioctahedral (and dioctahedral) micas have not been fully investigated. The dioctahedral micas glauconite, illite, phengite and the trioctahedral micas biotite and zinnwaldite also are now group names rather than individual species. Chlorite is also now a group name.
Specimens on This Page (links take you to either the first or only specimen)
agrellite, allophane (and variety cuproallophane), aluminoceladonite, alushtite, amesite (and variety chromium amesite), anandite, antigorite (and varieties bowenite, chromium antigorite, picrolite, and chrome williamsite), apophyllite, armstrongite bannisterite, beidellite, bementite, bentonite, biotite carletonite, caryopilite, cavansite, celadonite, chamosite (and varieties bavalite, brunsvigite, corundophilite, daphnite, and thuringite), chernykhite, chlorite, clinochlore (and varieties colerainite, delessite, diabantite, kämmererite, kotschubeite, leuchtenbergite, pennine, prochlorite, seraphinite, sheridanite, and venerite), clintonite, cookeite, coombsite, cronstedtite, cymrite devitoite, dickite, donbassite, dozyite, variety chromian dozyite eastonite, effenbergerite, eirikite, ellingsenite, ephesite falcondoite, fedorite, ferripyrophyllite, ferrisepiolite, ferroceladonite, ferropyrosmalite, fivegite, fluorannite, fluorophlogopite, friedelite ganophyllite, ganterite, garnierite, gillespite, gonyerite, gunterblassite, gyrolite halloysite (and variety indianaite), hectorite, hendricksite, hisingerite, hydrobiotite, hydrodelhayelite imogolite kampfite, kaolinite (and variety miloschite) latiumite, leifite, lennilenapeite, lepidolite, lizardite, loughlinite magadiite, makatite, manandonite, manganiceladonite, margarite, mariposite, martinite, masutomilite, montmorillonite, muscovite (and varieties alurgite, astrolite, fuchsite, gieseckite, gilbertite, oellacherite, plumose, sericite, and wilsonite) nacrite, nanpingite, neotocite, nepouite, nimite, nontronite oxyphlogopite palygorskite, paragonite, parsettensite, pecoraite, penkvilksite, pennantite, pentagonite, phlogopite, pimelite, pinite, polylithionite, prehnite (including a very rare orange prehnite), preiswerkite, pyrophyllite rectorite, reyerite,rhodesite, roscoelite sanbornite, saponite (and varieties ferroan saponite, griffithite, nickeloan and sobotkite), schallerite, searlesite, serpentine (and variety marmolite), shirozulite, spodiophyllite, stilpnomelane (and varieties chalcodite and ekmanite), strigovite, strzegomite tainiolite, talc (and variety steatite), tetraferrinontronite, tungusite, tuperssuatsiaite vermiculite, vertumnite, vladykinite, volkonskoite wesselsite, willemseite, windhoekite, wonesite yofortierite zakharovite (and variety ferroan zakharovite) and its unnamed iron analog, zinnwaldite

106 Rows
Agrellite Once an inosilicate, now a phyllosilicate, agrellite is a calcium sodium fluorotetrasilicate. This miniature of massive agrellite comes from the type locality of the Kipawa river, Villedieu Township, Témiscamingue County, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Marcus Origlieri's The Mineral Zone auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Allophane One of the very few amorphous minerals, allophane (a hydrated aluminum silicate) can occur in many pastel colors - this thumbnail, colored blue by probable chrysocolla) is from the Juanita Mine, Kelly, Magdalena, Socorro County, New Mexico. Thanks to Paul Williams' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Allophane A miniature of layered allophane, also tinted blue by copper) is from the famous Kelly Mine, Magdalena, Socorro County, New Mexico. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 2
Allophane A micro of brown allophane from the El Dragón mine, Antonio Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia. Thanks to Robert Darabos' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Allophane, var. Cupro-allophane This deep-blue cuproallophane has a higher copper content than my blue allophanes - this miniature is from the classic Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Aluminoceladonite An excellent miniature of massive aluminoceladonite (a potassium aluminum magnesium mica) from Narayama, Aga-machi, Niigata Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan. This specimen is fairly pure - usually ferrous iron tints it green. Thanks to The Gallery of Gems and Minerals' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 3
Alushtite A good miniature of pale-blue alushtite (a hydrated aluminum magnesium silicate) in matrix from Privetnoe Village, Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine. It's now considered an aluminum-dominant variety of tosudite even though tosudite was discovered in (after) alushtite. Thanks to Kirill Vlasov's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Amesite A small thumbnail of (rarely-seen) tan amesite on matrix from the Passa Limani Cove slag locality, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece. This amesite is tinted brown by impurities. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Amesite, var. Chromian Amesite Beautiful transparent purple chromian amesite (chromoamesite on MinDat) on chromite miniature from the Saranovskiy Mine, Saranovskaya Village, Permskaya Oblast', Urals, Russia. The closeup shows an on-axis view of the one pinacoidally-terminated crystal present. Thanks to Chris Korpi at Pangaea Minerals for the specimen!
Row 4
Amesite, var. Chromian Amesite Another chromian amesite (chromamesite on the label) from the Saranovskiy (Sarany) Mine - this one has two lime-green titanite twins (larger image, closeup) on it. Thanks to SoCal Nevada's auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Anandite A large micro of black anandite cleavages in matrix from Esquire No. 8 claim, Big Creek, Rush Creek deposit, Fresno County, California. Anandite's an unusual and rare sulfur-bearing (~8%) member of the mica group. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Annite A nice miniature of black annite crystals in a sodalite matrix from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. This specimen was collected in 1990. Annite forms a complete series with phlogopite where magnesium replaces iron and is the hydroxyl analog of fluorannite. Thanks to Ron Sloto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 5
Antigorite Antigorite (a magnesium iron hydroxysilicate), like amesite, is a member of the serpentine subfamily of phyllosilicates - this large miniature cluster of silky green antigorite is from the Jeffrey Quarry, Asbestos, Québec, Canada. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Antigorite A small cabinet specimen of compacted antigorite is from the Cedar Hill Quarry in Fulton Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Lee Rogers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Antigorite, var. Bowenite A nice miniature of light-apple-green bowenite (this color variety of antigorite) from the Conklin Quarry in Lincoln, Rhode Island - the oldest working limestone quarry in the U.S. and type locality. Bowenite's the state mineral of Rhode Island and is named after George T. Bowen who first described the mineral in 1822. Thanks to Eric Greene's (Treasure Mountain Mining) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 6
Antigorite, var. Bowenite A second miniature of bowenite - I don't know where this is from. A lot of jewelery-grade bowenite now comes from New Zealand. Thanks to Deniz Tezcan's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Antigorite, var. Chrome Antigorite This chromian antigorite miniature is from the famous Wood's Chrome Mine, Texas, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Ed Carvalho's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Antigorite, var. Chrome Antigorite This chrome antigorite miniature from the Wood's Chrome Mine is much more fibrous. Thanks to Richard Koontz' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 7
Antigorite, var. Picrolite Picrolite is the common name given to a green variety of antigorite of the serpentine family. These two cabinet pieces come from the Thetford mines, Thetford, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Dennis Brown's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Antigorite, var. Williamsite, var. Chrome Williamsite The rare emerald-green variety of antigorite is called williamsite - it's the state gemstone of Maryland. This is the deeper green chromium-bearing variety - the larger image (right) shows a backlit portion; you can see the chromite grains. I don't know where this miniature came from. Thanks to Deniz Tezcan's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Apophyllite This is a beautiful miniature cluster of clear colorless apophyllite with a classic peach-colored (larger image, bottom left) wheat sheaf of stilbite from Jalgaon, India. Colorless apophyllite is the whitest of all minerals - there's absolutely no tint to it! If it were cut into gemstones they'd appear silvery. There's also some tiny green apophyllites (larger image, bottom right) on the stilbite. Thanks to Great South Gems & Minerals for the specimen!
Row 8
Apophyllite There's one blade of stilbite jutting out from the crystal (which is resting on white heulandite) and several tiny basalt stalactites coated with calcite, some of which penetrate the apophyllite (larger image, third panel)!. This interesting vanadium-bearing miniature is from Poona, India.	Apophyllite More Indian apophyllite - this miniature has stilbite and heulandite (upper right) with it.	Apophyllite Another green apophyllite miniature from India - this green prism has a hoppered termination (larger image, bottom) instead of the typical four-sided diamond-faced pyramid. Even though the vanadyl IV (oxovanadate IV) ion is a blue colorant, in these apophyllites it's of such low concentration that it's only green; a few apophyllites do tend towards a bluish-green tint. It's theorized that a high enough concentration of vanadyl IV ions during crystallization would result in blue apophyllites - none have been found (yet).
Row 9
Apophyllite This is the yellowest apophyllite I've seen - like most good apophyllite, this miniature's from India. Thanks to Dean Johnstone at mineralsfromindia.com for the specimen!	Apophyllite Sometimes apophyllite has clay-like mica (celadonite) inclusions (larger picture, closeup), making it appear black. This miniature from India has a beatiful doubly-terminated crystal on a clay-coated matrix along with small gyrolite spherules. Thanks to Dean Johnstone at mineralsfromindia.com for the specimen and the information on apophyllite inclusions!	Apophyllite on Natrolite A miniature of very tabular apophyllite on twinned natrolite from Poona, India. Thanks to Dean Johnstone at mineralsfromindia.com for the information on apophyllite habits!
Row 10
Apophyllite A 2-inch doubly-terminated apophyllite. Thanks to Dean Johnstone at mineralsfromindia.com for the specimen and the image!	Apophyllite A pretty miniature of red included apophyllite from Raigad, India. Thanks to Rory Howell's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Apophyllite An interesting miniature of a marshy-green apophyllite "cube" on matrix from the Deccan Flats in India. Thanks to Krishna Pandey's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 11
Apophyllite From the first reported find of apophyllite at the Huanzala Mine, Huallanca, Bolognesi Province, Ancash Department, Peru, comes this beautiful spherical miniature of pink apophyllite with minor dessicated laumontite. Ex: 2017 Tucson Show and Peruvian dealer Teodociao Ramos. Thanks to John Veevaert at Trinity Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Armstrongite An excellent thumbnail of orange armstrongite (a hydrated zirconium calcium silicate) grains in matrix associated with hydroastrophyllite and aegirine from the type locality of the Dozrozhnyi Pegmatite, Khan Bogdo, Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Bannisterite A thumbnail of brownish-black platy bannisterite (a manganese iron zinc hydroxysilicate) on a mangabnese silicate matrix from Iacobeni, Suceava, Romania. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 12
Beidellite A classic miniature of tan beidellite (an aluminum sodium clay) probably from the Echo Cliffs clay deposit in the Cameron District, Coconino County, Arizona. It forms two series - one with montmorillonite and one with saponite. Thanks to Micah Cline's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Bementite A miniature of massive brown bementite (a manganese hydroxysilicate) with black franklinite and white calcite on matrix from the type locality of the Trotter Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey. Thanks to Christopher O'Neill's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Bementite A nice miniature of pinkish radiating bementite crystals from the Valgraveglia Mine, Reppia, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Thanks to Darrel Merke's (Proton Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 13
Bementite An excellent small micro of radiating bementite on matrix also from the type locality of the Trotter Mine in Franklin, New Jersey. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and image!	Bentonite A miniature of tan bentonite from the type locality of Fort Benton shales, Wyoming. Bentonite is considered a montmorillonite-rich clay but its usage is so pervasive in the literature (and as a commodity name) that I've given it an entry of its own. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Biotite A small cabinet book of biotite mica from the Consolidated No. 1 Quarry in Topsham, Sagadahoc County, Maine. There's a very nice (and rare) pseudohexagonal crystal at the lower left. Thanks to Dennis Brown's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 14
Biotite A pretty miniature of black biotite schist from (probably) Mount Etna in Italy. Thanks to Lynda McDowell's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Biotite in Muscovite An interesting thumbnail of black biotite in colorless (my picture's color is off) muscovite from Yatesville, Upson County, Georgia. #21 of an old estate collection. Thanks to Dawn & Bob Brady's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Biotite in Sodalite A large miniature of black biotite in deep-blue sodalite from Bancroft, Ontario, Canada. Ex: Mineral Zone and Burminco. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 15
Biotite An excellent thumbnail of a thick book of black biotite from Arendal, Aust-Agder, Norway. Ex: Martin Lewadny Collection. Ex: Gene Meieran Collection. Thanks to Brian McManus at the Pebble Peddler for the specimen and the image!	Biotite A beautiful miniature of black biotite crystals on albite with tiny tan siderite rhombs from the Crabtree Quarry, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. These could be muscovite - both micas occur here. Thanks to Doug Wahl's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Bityite A nice thumbnail of white bityite (a calcium aluminum beryllium lithium mica) aggregates in dark-gray muscovite from the Harding Mine, Picuris District, Taos County, New Mexico. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 16
Carletonite This cabinet specimen of carletonite's (a hydrated potasssium sodium calcium carbonatosilicate) one of the many unique (and recent - 1978) minerals from the famous Mont St. Hilaire locality (type locality - Poudrette Quarry) - like other members of the apophyllite group, it has interconnected four and eight-member rings. Thanks to Darrel Merke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Carletonite A tiny but bright blue partial crystal of carletonite also from the Poudrette Quarry. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Carletonite An amazing 6mm blue-centered carletonite crystal from MSH. Thanks to ManPan Chan's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 17
Caryopilite An excellent micro of reddish-tan caryopilite (a manganese hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the Valgraveglia Mine, Reppia, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Cavansite Cavansite is a "new" mineral - it's only been recognized for 30 years or so. The electric blue color is diagnostic and usually occurs (as here) on a stilbite "wheat sheaf" ground. Its name comes from its composition - a CAlcium VANadium Silicate (the vanadium is responsible for the blue coloring). This small cabinet specimen (as are most) is from Poona, India. It's dimorphic with pentagonite.	Cavansite and Pentagonite A rare miniature of intergrown cavansite and pentagonite (dimorphs) on a tuff matrix from the type locality for both minerals (near Owyhee Dam, Lake Owyhee State Park, Malheur County) in Oregon. From the John Byland collection, purchased in 1971 for $100. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe's (Summit Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 18
Cavansite A very rare "bow tie" micromount of cavansite - these are almost impossible to find. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Celadonite This miniature of massive celadonite (another member of the mica family) is not only from the type locality of Mount Baldo, Sano, Verona Province, Veneto, Italy, but may also be a piece of the original (analyzed) celadonite specimen! Celadonite is also one of the two pigments comprising "Green Earth" (Stone Green, Terre Verte, Verdetta, Celadon Green). Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Chamosite on Quartz A miniature of terminated quartz crystals with beautiful overgrowths of dark green to black chamosite "balls" (an iron aluminum magnesium silicate) and several dolomite and pyrite crystals from the now-closed Homestake (gold) Mine near Lead, Lawrence County, South Dakota. Chamosite forms a complete series with clinochlore where magnesium replaces the (ferrous) iron. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the image!
Row 19
Chamosite Am excellent hand specimen of botryoidal light-green chamosite on a quartz matrix from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. There's a tan siderite crystal present (larger image, top row, right). Thanks to Kerry Day's (Kaygeedee Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Chamosite, var. Bavalite A beautiful thumbnail of a deep bluish-green bayalite vein in matrix from the closed Penlee quarry, Penzance, Cornwall, England. Ex: Phillips Collection with a Cureton dealer tag. There's a couple of different formulas for bavalite and one reference opines that bavalite from Chamoson should be the true chamosite. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Chamosite, var. Brunsvigite A classic miniature of tiny dark-green brunsvigite (a magnesian chamosite) aggregates with smoky quartz and stilbite on a feldspar matrix from the pe4gmatites of Strzegom, Lower Silesia, Poland. Thanks to Mirek Dorejko's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 20
Chamosite, var. Corundophilite Another magnesian chamosite (or ferroan clinochlore) - this fine-grained miniature of green corundophilite comes from the Chester Emery Mines, Chester, Hampden County, Massachusetts. Here it's intermixed with corundum and magnetite - the "emery" of emery sandpaper and emeryboard nailfiles (the magnetite is recovered for other uses during processing. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Chamosite, var. Daphnite An excellent large miniature of dark-green daphnite (yet another magnesian chamosite) from the varietal type locality of Penzance - Ludgvan Area, Mount's Bay District, Cornwall, England. All of these "magnesian chamosites" have slightly different compositions - daphnite from this locale contains only ~1% MgO by analysis. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Chamosite, var. Thuringite An excellent large miniature of green thuringite (an iron-rich chamosite) on matrix from the Champion mine, Marquette County, Michigan. Ex: Phillips Collection with a Champion Minerals tag (#561). Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!
Row 21
Chernykhite A 3mm chip of dark-green chernykhite (a barium-vanadium mica) on matrix from the type locality of the vanadium-bearing shales of Balasauskandyk, Southern Kazakhstan Province, Kazakhstan. It has a Tony Jones' dealer tag from 2010. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Chlorite on Calcite Brownish-green microscopic chlorite crystals coat this pair of calcite scalenohedrons from Val Mulina, Lukmanier, Switzerland. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen!	Chlorite From the Austrian Alps comes this beautiful small-cabinet specimen of chlorite crystals in many different groupings on matrix. Some are rosettes, some are stacks, some are at right-angles - the close-up (larger image, top right) is fascinating! Thanks to Michael Conroy's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 22
Chlorite A beautiful miniature of large emerald-green chlorite crystals on matrix from the Kafubu Emerald District, Ndola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia. Thanks to Michael Conroy's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Chrysotile A beautiful miniature of translucent, golden chrysotile (asbestos) from Mashoneng, west of Kanye, Ngwaketse North District, Southern District, Botswana. It's name comes from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and tilos - "fiber" - most chrysotile isn't this pretty. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Chrysotile A pretty miniature of fuzzy lime-green chrysotile from the Cassiar Mine, Cassiar, Liard Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada. Cassiar has been a ghost town since 1992. Thanks to Chris Caporale's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 23
Chrysotile, polytype Clinochrysotile The three asbestoses - Clinochrysotile, Orthochrysotile, Parachrysotile - were once considered separate minerals. Now they're just polytypes (where the crystal unit cell differs in only one dimension) - this beautiful snow-white miniature comes from the Katinik Mine Pit #2, Raglan, Cape Smith Belt, Quebec, Canada. Ex: Roger Y. Poulin (Val Caron, Ontario) Collection, P-108. (This location is from Roger's tag - MinDat has no relevant info. My specimens are probably all clinochrysotile - it's by far the most common of the three. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Clinochlore Clinochlore, like chlorite and chamosite, is a member of the chlorite group of phyllosilicates. This small cabinet piece of beautiful translucent green clinochlore (a magnesium iron aluminum silicate) on a topazolite matrix is from the Yellow Cat Mine, New Idria district, San Benito County, California. Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Clinochlore A beautiful miniature cluster of clinochlore rosettes with red rutile needles (larger image, bottom right) from the Rauris Valley, Hohe Tauern, Salzburg, Austria. Ex: Bill and Carol Smith collection (rcvd from ALM 5 Jan 1983). Ex: A. L. McGuinness, San Mateo, CA. Thanks to Dave Bunk's (Dave Bunk Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 24
Clinochlore A fascinating small miniature of both fibrous and crystalline clinochlore on matrix from Radlgraben, Gmünd, Reißeck group, Hohe Tauern, Carinthia, Austria. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinochlore, var. Aphrosiderite after Almandine This unusual miniature of aphrosiderite (ferroan clinochlore, also called ripidolite) after almandine comes from the Michigamme Mine, Michigamme, Michigan. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Clinochlore, var. Colerainite From the type locality for clinochlore - Brinton's Quarry, West Chester, Westtown Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania - comes this beautiful large thumbnail of thick, off-white hexagonal plates (some hoppered) of colerainite, a seldom seen variety of clinochlore. Ex Ron Sloto and William Yocum Collections. Thanks to Emilie & Ron's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 25
Clinochlore, var. Delessite An excellent miniature of green delessite (iron-bearing clinochlore - or magnesium-bearing chamosite) spheroids on matrix from the Votrubec quarry, Kozákov, Liberec Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic. Thanks to Robert Vano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinochlore, var. Diabantite A small cabinet of dark-green diabantite (a ferroan clinochlore - implying more iron than delessite) on matrix with apophyllite, heulandite, and stilbite from the quarry near Laurel Hill, Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey. Ex: Alan "Bundy" Beres Collection. Thanks to Eric Stanchich's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinochlore, var. Kotschubeite An excellent thumbnail of kotschubeite (chromian clinochlore) from the varietal type locality of the Karkadinsk Mine, Kartali River, Ufaleisk, Ural Mts, Russia. The closest match I can find in MinDat is the demantoid deposit at Korkodinskoe. Most refences consider kotschubeite and kammererite to be the same mineral even though the crystallography and the chromium content differ. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 26
Clinochlore, var. Pennine Pennine (penninite) is the pseudo-trigonal variety of clinochlore. This small-cabinet specimen of large, rough, deep-green pennine crystals comprising matrix are from Rimpfischhorn, in the eastern Rimpfischwäng range, in the Findel glacier area, Zermatt, Matt Valley, Wallis, Switzerland. The larger image shows green morenosite and off-white nickelhexahydrite on the pennine. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Clinochlore, var. Pennine A beautiful thumbnail of sharp dark-green tabular pennine crystals in a serpentinite matrix from Gorb, Lercheltin, Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinochlore, var. Pennine Another thumbnail of a sharp dark-green pennine crystal on matrix from Gorb in Siwtzerland. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 27
Clinochlore, var. Pennine, var. Kämmererite The chromium-rich variety of pennine (an iron magnesium aluminum hydroxysilicate) is called kämmererite - this miniature, like most of the good ones, comes from Kop Daglari, Erzurum, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Clinochlore, var. Pennine, var. Kämmererite Sometimes kämmererite occurs as matted fibrous crusts as in this little miniature from the Little Castle Creek chromium mine, Castle Crag, Klamath Mts, Shasta County, California. Thanks to Tom Lettier and Ken Balthazor's (The California Crystal Connection) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Clinochlore, var. Pennine, var. Kämmererite An old odd kämmererite miniature from the Wood's Chrome Mine, Texas, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The surface has weathered to a waxy fluorescent coating but the closeup (larger image, top right) shows a beautiful raspberry-red area. The larger image also displays the two old tags, the later one from Poughkeepsie College 1938 - both tags refer to the varietal "penninite" name for clinochlore. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!
Row 28
Clinochlore, var. Leuchtenbergite Leuchtenbergite is the varietal name of iron-poor clinochlore - this (literal) museum piece comes from Shiskimskaya Mountain, Zlatoust, Urals, Russia via the former University of Helsinki Mineralogical Museum (now a department of the Finnish Museum of Natural History). The larger image (bottom row, center and right) displays the provenance. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Clinochlore, var. Prochlorite Prochlorite is now considered to be a ferroan variety of clinochlore. This deep-green foliated massive prochlorite is from Chester, Windsor County, Vermont. Ex: W. Scott Lewis Collection. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clinochlore, var. Seraphinite The massive compact variety of clinochlore is called seraphinite - it's often cabbed and polished for jewelry. This small cabinet specimen is from eastern Siberia, Russia near Lake Baikal - the type locality for this varietal. Thanks to Wright's Rock Shop's table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!
Row 29
Clinochlore, var. Sheridanite A good miniature of sheridanite (aluminum-rich clinochlore) from the varietal type locality of North Diney Creek, Sheridan County, Wyoming. Ex: Ralph E. Merrill Collection and Mineral Zone and David Shannon Minerals dealers. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Clinochlore, var. Venerite A beautiful large miniature of venerite with green chlorite from (probably) the abandoned mine near Hartmannsdorf, Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany. I've been unable to find "venerite" anywhere definitive - the only info I can find is that it's either 1) a copper and iron-rich clinochlore or 2) a copper-rich clay. The larger image (bottom row, left and center) shows long, brownish, glassy crystals, presumably the venerite. Thanks to Grzegorz Piatek's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clintonite A beautiful small cabinet specimen of sharp pseudohexagonal crystals of dark-green clintonite (another mica family member) crystals on matrix (collected in 1996) from the famous Green Monster Mountain, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe's (Summit Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 30
Clintonite An excellent miniature of bronzy clintonite in a calcite matrix from the type locality of Clintonite type locality, Amity, Town of Warwick, Orange County, New York. Ex: Douglas Wahl Collection, Melvyn Machin Collection. Thanks to Doug Wahl's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Clintonite (Seybertite) Seybertite is an old name for clintonite and often referred to the original reddish-brown clintonite as well - this miniature of tiny reddish-brown seybertite crystals in matrix comes from the Ludwig Mine, Ludwig, Yerington District, Singatse Range, Lyon County, Nevada. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Cookeite A beautiful thumbnail of pearly cookeite basal cleavages in various colors on a quartz matrix from the Lake Sylvia Mine, Lake Winona, Saline County, Arkansas. Cookeite (an aluminum lithium hydroxysilicate) usually looks more like my other specimen (following entry). It's typically an alteration product of tourmalines and lepidolite micas. Thanks to Thomas & Tammy Moon's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 31
Cookeite An excellent micro of light-tan cookeite from the Bennett Quarry, Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Coombsite A pretty micro of pink coombsite (a manganese iron aluminum hydroxysilicate) in a black matrix from the Kozhaevskoe Mn deposit, Chelyabinsk, Southern Urals, Russia. It's the manganese analog of zussmanite. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Cronstedtite Another member of the serpentine group, this cluster of iron-rich cronstedite crystals on matrix comes from the Wheal Maudlin, Lanlivery, St Austell District, Cornwall, England. Thanks to Kevin Conroy at (Kevin Conroy Minerals) for the specimen and the image!
Row 32
Cymrite An excellent small miniature of massive brown cymrite (a hydrated barium aluminum silicate) from the Shiromaru Mine, Okutamacho, Tokyo Region, Honshu Island, Japan. Thanks to The Gallery of Gems and Minerals' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Devitoite An excellent large micro of millimeter-sized brownish-red platy devitoite (a barium iron complex silicate) crystals in a few areas with titantaramellite, celsian, diopside, anandite, and quartz from the type locality of the Esquire No. 8 claim, Big Creek, Rush Creek deposit, Fresno County, California. It has a Robert S. Walstrom (Walstrom Mineral Enterprises, Silver City, NM) tag. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Deweylite A good miniature of green deweylite in matrix from the Haines & Kibblehouse Penn‑Maryland Materials Quarry, Fulton Township, State Line Chromite District, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Deweylite is no longer considered a mineral - it's typically a mixture of lizardite, often nickelian as here, and stevensite. Thanks to Ed Carvalho's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 33
Dickite Yet another member of the serpentine-kaolinite group, this miniature of tiny dickite (an aluminum hydroxysilicate) crystals coating quartz from a strip mine (Saint Clair) near the fire station in Frackville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It's a tetramorph with halloysite, kaolinite, and nacrite. Thanks to Lee Rogers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Dickite A micro of sub-millimeter white dickite aggregates on marcasite matrix from the Buick Mine, Bixby, Viburnum Trend District, Iron County, Missouri. The whitish rhombs are probably dolomite. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Dickite An excellent micro of dickite blades on matrix from Cap d'Agde Hérault, Occitanie, France. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 34
Donbassite A miniature of pearly pinpoints and tabular flakes of donbassite (an aluminum hydroxyaluminosilicate member of the chlorite group) on dark matrix from the Nesquehoning Coal Mine near Nesquehoning, Lansford, Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Lithium can replace some of the aluminum (up to 2%) but does not complete the series to cookeite. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Dozyite, var. Chromian Dozyite Lots of millimeter-sized purple chunks of chromian dozyite from the (now closed to collectors) Wood's Chrome Mine, Texas, Little Britain Township, State Line Chromite District, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Dozyite's composition is halfway between clinochlore and amesite - the chromium gives it the purple color. Thanks to Amanda Larson's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Eastonite Three large miniatures of yellow-green eastonite (mica) from the type locality of the C.K. Williams Quarry in Easton, Northampton County, Penssylvania. Though recent studies have shown that eastonite is a submicroscopic mixture of phlogopite and serpentine - the serpentine is, in turn, a "previously unreported and microstructurally complex, disordered polysomatic mixture of the lizardite and antigorite structures" [Yoder, unpublished], current literature merely lists it as an aluminum magnesium potassium mica, forming a series with siderophyllite where iron replaces the magnesium. Thanks to Keith Robertson's auction on eBay for the specimens!
Row 35
Effenbergerite An excellent micro of a tiny bright blue speck of effenbergerite (a barium copper tetrasilicate) on sugilite from the type locality of the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The effenbergerite even shows up well with a lot of light on the specimen! It's a member of the gillespite group. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the photo!	Eirikite An excellent micro of a white eirikite spray on microcline from the type locality of Larvik, Vestfold, Norway - probably one of the Vesle Arøya island pegmatites in Langesundsfjorden. Formerly classified as a tectosilicate because of its "transitional structure", eirikite is the potassium analog of leifite and telyushenkoite, the current members of the leifite group. Thanks to Amanda Larson's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ellingsenite A large thumbnail of white ellingsenite (a hydrated calcium sodium hydroxysilicate) laths on a phonolite matrix from the type (and only) locality of the Aris Quarry, Windhoek, Khomas region, Namibia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 36
Ephesite A beautiful micro of pink ephesite (a lithium mica) on matrix from Colsam, Postmasburg, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The closeup image (larger image, right) FOV is 9mm. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Falcondoite A beautiful bright-green micro of falcondoite (a hydrated nickel magnesium silicate) from the type locality of Loma Peguera, Bonao, Monseñor Nouel Province, Dominican Republic. It's the nickel analog of sepiolite - there's almost a complete series between the two. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Fedorite A miniature cluster of pearly beige fedorite (a complex hydrated calcium sodium potassium hydroxysilicate) from the Murun massif, SW of Oekminsk, Yakutia, Russia. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 37
Ferripyrophyllite A miniature of massive brown ferripyrophyllite from Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia. Ex: Volkwein Collection (#F2-9). It's the ferric analog of pyrophyllite. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Ferrisepiolite A micro of fibrous dark-green ferrisepiolite (a hydrated iron hydroxysilicate) from the Ingichka Mine, Zirabulak Mountain, Samarkand Viloyati, Uzbekistan. It's the ferric analog of sepiolite. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ferroceladonite Deep-green ferroceladonite crystals in a typical thumbnail from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. There's almost a complete series between feeroceladonite and celadonite (where magnesium replaces the ferrous iron). Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 38
Ferropyrosmalite An excellent miniature of tan translucent ferropyrosmalite - now pyrosmalite-(Fe) - (an iron manganese hydroxychlorosilicate) from Nordmark, Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden. This might be type locality material - the Bjelke (iron) Mine is in Nordmark. There's also some iron-rich sphalerite and chalcopyrite present. It forms a complete series with manganpyrosmalite - pyrosmalite-(Mn) - its manganese analog. Thanks to Kjell Gatedal's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Fivegite On this micro, fivegite forms translucent mica-like hydrothermal alteration rims on a pale-gray more opaque delhayelite crystal fragment from the type and only locality of the Central Mine, Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. The alteration of fivegite from delhayelite usually continues to hydrodelhayelite, though I don't see any here. The tiny black crystals are probably aegirine. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Fluorannite A row of black fluorannite crystals comprise this miniature from the Katugin Ta-Nb deposit, Transbaikalia in eastern Siberia, Russia. It's the fluorine analog of annite and the ferrous analog of fluorophlogopite. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 39
Fluorophlogopite One of many (larger image, right) light-peach transparent crystals of fluorophlogopite highlight this thumbnail from the La Aljorra Quarries, La Aljorra, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain. It's the magnesium analog of fluorannite and the fluorine analog of phlogopite. Synthetic fluorophlogopite, "fluorine mica", has a multitude of uses, among them; bulking agent for cosmetics, machinable low-expansion ceramics, batteries, and pigments. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Friedelite A somewhat cuttable miniature of rose friedelite on matrix from the Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey. Ex: Mary and George Pawluchik collection. Thanks to John Cianciulli's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Ganophyllite A nice large micro of tan ganophyllite (a manganese potassium mica) crystals on matrix from the Valgraveglia Mine, Reppia, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. It's the potassium analog of eggletonite. Thanks to Adam Larson at Adam's Mineralsfor the specimen!
Row 40
Ganophyllite A nice small miniature of light-orange ganophyllite crystals with colorless and smoky quartz on matrix, also from the Valgraveglia Mine. Thanks to Darrel Merke's (Proton Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Ganterite An excellent micro of silvery-gray ganterite (an aluminum barium mica) plates on a white-mica schist from the type locality of Isenwegg, Wasen Alp, Ganter valley, Simplon pass area, Brig, Wallis, Switzerland. It's the barium analog of muscovite - oellacherite's composition lies in between. Analyzed. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Garnierite Garnierite is either a synonym for falcondoite, nepouite, or a generic name for a mix of nickel (serpentine) silicates - this miniature was collected in 1980 at the now-depleted Riddle (nickel) Mine, Nickel Mountain, Riddle, Douglas County, Oregon. It's often slabbed or cut en cabochon. Thanks to Eva Stern's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 41
Garnierite Another garnierite miniature from the Riddle Mine - this piece was collected in 1971. Thanks to Kraig Kessler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Garnierite Garnierite from the Poro Mine, Poro, New Caledonia has a distinctly different color and texture than that from the nearby Thio mine - this miniature was collected prior to its closing in the early 1980s. Most of the jewelry-grade garnierite comes from New Caledonia. Thanks to Kraig Kessler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Gillespite A miniature of a translucent (larger image, right) deep-red gillespite (a barium iron "tetrasilicate") cleavage on matrix from the Incline sanbornite deposit 4 miles WNW of Incline, Mariposa County, California. Mineral Zone (10 / 2008) tag. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 42
Gillespite An excellent miniature of deep-red gillespite cleavages in matrix from the Gun Claims, MacMillian Pass, Itsy Mountains, Yukon Territory, Canada. There's also orange-brown muirite and white sanbornite present. Ex: Donald Cooke Collection. A synthetic gillespite group (barium magnesium) silicate has been studied as a rare-earth host for improved white LEDs. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Glauconite A beautiful miniature of blue-green glauconite (an iron potassium magnesium hydroxyoxysilicate) on matrix from somewhere in Hunan Province, China. Thanks to Xinghua Li's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Glauconite An interesting miniature of submillimeter green glauconite spherules in a compacted sandstone matrix from the exploratory iron mine, Beers Mine, near Morris Plains, Hanover Township, Morris County, New Jersey. In the late 1800s, only 30 tons of titanium-rich (~7%) magnetite was mined and shipped - "no regular vein" was struck. A higher resolution photo is viewable at MinDat. Thanks to Christopher O'Neill's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 43
Gonyerite A miniature of glassy red-brown gonyerite (a manganese member of the chlorite group) clusters with massive almandine and hausmannite throughout the matrix from the type locality of Sjovarp, Langban, Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden. Ex: Volkwein Collection (#G2-23). Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Günterblassite The red arrow points to one of many groups of colorless tabular gunterblassite crystals on this basalt miniature from the type locality of the Mount Rother Kopf basalt quarry, Roth, Vulkaneifel, Germany. It's the first triple-layer phyllosilicate which gives it a structure approaching a tectosilicate. Thanks to Thomas Kleser's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Gyrolite An excellent miniature of greenish-brwon gyrolite (a hydrated calcium hydroxysilicate) balls on a drusy quartz matrix, probably from Poona, Maharashtra State, India. Thanks to The $ource's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 44
Gyrolite Also, from Poona - this pretty miniature of deep-green gyrolite is colored by celadonite inclusions. Thanks to Dipti Sonawane's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Halloysite A miniature aggregation of halloysite (an aluminum hydroxysilicate) from Lawrence County, Indiana - formerly in the James Underhill Collection. It's a tetramorph with dickite, kaolinite, and nacrite. Thanks to C. Carter Rich's table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Halloysite-10Å, var. Indianaite An excellent miniature of snow-white very fine-grained indianaite (halloysite-10Å and allophane-rich clay) from arguably the varietal type locality of the Gardner Mine Ridge, Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana - it occurs widely in Lawrence and Martin counties and to a lesser degree throughout south-central Indiana. Halloysite-10Å contains water; halloysite-7Å does not. Older references consider indianaite a variety of halloysite. It was collected in 1969. Thanks to Chris Clemens' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 45
Hectorite A miniature of snow-white hectorite (a smectite group (clay) mineral) from the type locality of the Hector Mine, Hector, San Bernardino County, California. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Hendricksite Beautiful reddish-black sheets of hendricksite mica (more info) with willemite and andradite comprise this specimen from the type locality of Franklin, New Jersey - one of the times when the color description exactly matches what you see. It's the zinc analog of phlogopite. This small cabinet specimen is from the collection of Peter Van Horne. Thanks to David Selem's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Hisingerite A miniature of acicular brown hisingerite (a hydrated iron hydroxysilicate) on matrix from Apatitovyi Tsirk, Rasvumchorr Mountain, Khibiny, Kola Peninsula, Russia. It's usually an alteration product of an iron-rich environment. Thanks to Ingo Drescher's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 46
Hydrobiotite A large cleavage of bronzy hydrobiotite (a 1:1 regular interstratification of biotite and vermiculite) from somewhere in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Hydrodelhayelite A small thumbnail of light-brown cleavages of hydrodelhayelite with green aegirine from the Kirov Apatite Mine, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Northern Region, Russia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Imogolite One of the very few minerals with a tubular structure, this gelcap of imogolite (a clay mineral related to allophane) from Fukaiwa, Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, Kanto Region, Honshu Island, Japan may have applications as a shape-selective catalyst and as an anion-exchange medium (especially for phosphates). Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 47
Kampfite Light-blue grains of kampfite (a barium silicate-carbonate) in matrix and associated with sanbornite, titantaramellite, celsian, and bazirite comprise this miniature from the type locality of the Esquire No. 1 Claim, Rush Creek, Fresno County, California. Ex: Phillips Collection with an Excalibur Mineral Corp. tag, from 10/2000. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Kanemite A beautiful and rare large thumbnail of white kanemite (sodium disilicate trihydrate) blades on matrix from the Aris Quarries, Aris, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia. Synthetic kanemite is used in detergents to protect delicate fabrics and to keep oxygen bleaches from weakening fabrics. Thanks to Grzegorz Bijak's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Kaolinite A hand specimen of kaolinite (aluminum hydroxysilicate - the traditional pottery "clay") from Mono County, California. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 48
Kaolinite, var. Miloschite A vial of blue grains of miloschite (chromian kaolinite) from (probably) the Sonoma Mine in Guerneville, Coast Range, Sonoma County, California. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Kinoshitalite A small miniature of millimeter-sized flakes of light-yellow kinoshitalite (a barium mica) on a probably tephroite matrix from Kamocha, Sohraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture, Kinki Region, Honshu Island, Japan. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Latiumite White tabular crystals of latiumite (a complex calcium potassium silicate) cover the matrix of this miniature from the type locality of the Alban Hills, Campagnano, near Rome, Italy. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 49
Leifite A nice thumbnail of almost colorless, radiating leifite (an aluminum sodium beryllium silicate) tufts on matrix from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. Once considered an unclassified and a tectosilicate, leifite is now a three-member group whose structure allows for a few more (as yet unfound) minerals. Thanks to Reiner Mielke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Leifite A second leifite thumbnail from Mont Saint-Hilaire displays larger and whiter sprays. Thanks to Reiner Mielke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lennilenapeite A excellent small micro of rich brown lennilenapeite (a complex hydrated iron manganese zinc silicate) on matrix from the type locality of the Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin mining district, Sussex County, New Jersey. It's a member of the stilpnomelane group. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 50
Lepidolite Lepidolite is a pink-to-lavender lithium-bearing mica that occurs in massive chunks and rarely in crystals. This one's from San Diego County, California. It's mined as a source of lithium.	Lepidolite A cute thumbnail of curved lepidolite from San Diego County, California. Thanks to Dan Wienrich at Dan & Jill Weinrich for the specimen and the image!	Lepidolite This lovely chunk of lepidolite mica is from Brazil.
Row 51
Lepidolite A beautiful compressed stacked array of lepidolite from Minas Gerais, Brazil - backlit, it's a gorgeous pinkish lavender. This piece, like the stacked phlogopite "diamonds" from the Shewa Pegmatite Field, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan, is cohesive enough to cut. Thanks to M. Phantom Minerals' table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Lepidolite A small cabinet compact raspberry lepidolite from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The closeup shows the beautiful translucent color. Thanks to Wright's Rock Shop's table at the 2001 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Lepidolite Lepidolite can also be yellow, as occurs here on this large cabinet chunk of smoky quartz pegmatite from the Tin Mountain Mine (Custer County) located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The larger image shows a couple of (broken off) cassiterite crystals - you can see the teragonal cross section - and probable red microlite. Thanks to Terry Spring's auction on eBay for the specimen! Thanks to Tom Loomis for the microlite identification.
Row 52
Lepidolite A cute thumbnail of lepidolite. Thanks to Eric Greene's (Treasure Mountain Mining) for the specimen!	Lepidolite A bicolor lepidolite miniature from Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Lourenço Santos' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lepidolite A yellow, lavender, and pink lepidolite from the type locality - Rozna, NE of Velke Mezirici, Jihomoravsky, Moravia, Czech Republic. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 53
Lepidolite A dark-lavender lepidolite miniature from the Yukon Territory in Canada. Thanks to Lee Rogers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Lepidolite A beautiful translucent stack of lepidolite from Itinga, Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Joseph George's (Cascade Scepters) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Lepidolite A beautiful miniature of yellow lepidolite rosettes from Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Rob Lavinsky at The Arkenstone for the specimen and the images!
Row 54
Lepidolite A miniature of deep-purple lepidolite from the Bikita pegmatite, Bikita area, Masvingo, Zimbabwe. Thanks to Stephen Hernly's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lepidolite A beautiful minature of blue lepidolite on matrix from the 2005 find at the Carlaminda Blue pegmatitequarry, Gabyon Station, Yalgoo Shire, Western Australia, Australia. The blue color supposedly is due to rubidium replacing some of the lithium. Thanks to Glenn & Helen Archer's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lepidolite Cute lepidolite micro "trees" from a 2006 find in Brazil. Thanks to Barbara Babel's auction on eBay for the specimens and the images!
Row 55
Lepidolite A beautiful 6-inch slab of compacted lepidolite from Bikita, Zimbabwe. Thanks to Tina Awald's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lepidolite Also from Bikita comes this beautiful dark-pink tabular lepidolite crystal on a gray feldspar matrix. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lizardite A beautiful polished 13.5cm slab of green lizardite (magnesium hydroxydisilicate) in contrasting white dolomite from the Redziny dolomite quarry near Czarnów, Rudawy Janowickie Mts, Lower Silesia, Poland. It forms a complete series with nepouite and is the most common serpentine species. Thanks to Anna Jachymiak's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 56
Lizardite Lizardite can occur in many colors - this small-cabinet specimen of pale-green lizardite in dolomite is from the quarry at Redziny, Czarnów, Rudawy Janowickie Mts, Lower Silesia, Poland. Thanks to Anna Jachymiak's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Lizardite, polytype 1T A beautiful micro of deep-green lizardite-1T (the trigonal polytype) on matrix from Varana, Modena Province, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Loughlinite An excellent rare thumbnail of searlesite-vein-filling loughlinite (a hydrated magnesium sodium "cyclotrisilicate") fibers from the type locality of the Westvaco mine, Green River formation, Sweetwater County, Wyoming. Ex: Robert Frederickson collection and has a 2011 Mineral Zone tag. It's a member of the sepiolite group. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 57
Macdonaldite An excellent miniature of white, silky macdonaldite (a hydrated calcium barium hydroxysilicate) sprays with dark-brown titantaramellite on a sanbornite matrix from the co-type locality of Rush Creek, Big Creek‑Rush Creek District, Fresno County, California. Thanks to Nature's Expressions' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Magadiite An excellent miniature of massive grayish-white magadiite (a hydrated sodium silicate) from Trinity Lake, Trinity County, California. Thanks to Brad Hilken's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Makatite This miniature of white crystal aggregates of makatite, a rare sodium hydroxysilicate, on matrix is from Lake Umbozero, Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. It fluoresces light yellow under longwave UV. The name comes from the Masai (Kenyan) word for soda, emakat. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 58
Makatite A miniature of white makatite sprays on matrix from the Aris Quarry, Windhoek, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia. Thanks to Krzysztof Dembicz' Spirifer Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Makatite A 5mm micro of silky white makatite on matrix from the Poços de Caldas alkaline complex, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ex: American Museum of Natural History. Note that MinDat does not list this locale for makatite. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Manandonite Manandonite's another member of the serpentine subfamily - this miniature of tiny pale pink rosettes on matrix is from the type locality, Antandrokomby, Sahatany Valley, Madagascar. Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image!
Row 59
Manganiceladonite A pretty micro of orange-brown manganiceladonite (a manganese magnesium potassium hydroxysilicate) from the type and only locality of the Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, Italy. It's the manganese analog of celadonite. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Margarite Collected in 1991 by Eric Greene from the famous Wright Emery Mine at Chester, Massachusetts, this is a small-cabinet specimen of margarite (a pink mica) plates in matrix. Thanks to Eric Greene's (Treasure Mountain Mining) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Margarite Another small-cabinet margarite specimen from the Emery Mine - the margarite plates are filling a fissure. Thanks to Ashley Petrowski's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 60
Mariposite Mariposite isn't a well-defined mineral - it's a chromium phengite; a green mica series between the aluminoceladonite muscovite and celadonite muscovite series. (The nomenclature and classification of the 40-odd mica minerals is very complex). This miniature is from the Hardrock Mine in the type locality of Mariposa County, Califormia and is in a quartzite matrix along with small pockets of brown microscopic crystals. These pockets also contain tiny flakes of gold (larger picture, bottom). Thanks to Leland Goodwin's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Mariposite Recently, mariposite has become popular for slabbing - this beautiful three-pound museum piece with milky quartz veins is also from California. Thanks to Lesli Mallory's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Martinite An excellent large micro of transparent pale-lavender martinite (a complex sodium calcium silicate) crystals on matrix from the type and only locality of the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 61
Masutomilite A transparent pale-pink micro of masutomilite (an aluminum potassium manganese mica) from Hirukawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan. It's the manganese analog of zinnwaldite. A complete series exists between masutomilite, lepidolite, and zinnwaldite. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Monteregianite-(Y) An excellent micro of a sharp tabular grayish-green monteregianite-(Y) (a hydrated yttrium sodium potssium silicate) crystal in matrix from the type and only locality of the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Montmorillonite Pink montmorillonite (one of the clay minerals) on an albite matrix from the Tamminen Quarry, Greenwood, Oxford County, Maine. The pink color is probably due to manganese as there are also tiny flecks of (probably) pyrolusite present. Thanks to Veronica Matthews's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 62
Montmorillonite Unique to the pegmatites of the Pala District of Southern California, this small-cabinet specimen of pink montmorillonite-included quartz is from the White Queen Mine, Hiriart Mountain, San Diego County, California. Thanks to Stephen Hernly's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Montmorillonite An excellent large miniature of green crystalline and botryoidal montmorillonite in association with chamosite, chlorite, and pink feldspar from the Geevor Mine, Pendeen, St Just, Cornwall, England. Thanks to Brian McManus' (Pebble Peddler) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite Pegmatite One of two "aquarium stones" from a former colleague, this is a beautiful 9-inch chunk of muscovite pegmatite. Some of the micas are an inch across. Thanks Dr. Bob!
Row 63
Muscovite Beautiful lime-green muscovite from the early 2000 find in Minas Gerais, Brazil.	Muscovite Two muscovite books from Mount Mica mine near Paris, Oxford County, Maine. Thanks to Dennis Brown's auction on eBay for the specimens!	Muscovite Pink muscovite on matrix from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The larger picture shows both specimens.
Row 64
Muscovite This was labeled "rose mica" and it certainly is a darker pink than any lepidolite I've seen - this thumbnail of rose muscovite is from the Harding Mine, Dixon, Taos County, New Mexico. The color is due primarily to iron - the ratio of iron to manganese (as oxide) is about 3:1 here and 4:1 at nearby Pilar. Thanks to the Carnegie Natural History Museum Store for the specimen!	Muscovite This is a beautiful miniature of "star mica" from the early 2000 find in Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Roger Hoek's (ARCH Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Muscovite More a rock than a mineral, the silvery muscovite books are aligned (larger piocture, right) in this quartz matrix. Thanks to Martha Crawford's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 65
Muscovite A beautiful but highly unusual cross-section of muscovite from Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil - the reason for the abrupt color change from silver to yellow is unknown. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Muscovite This is a beautiful book of ruby "trapiche" muscovite - the inclusion has caused a six-rayed star to form. It's from Africa. Thanks to Gem-Fare's table at the 2001 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Muscovite Beautiful bright red (colored by hematite) muscovite on quartz from Nipissing, Ontario, Canada - one of the very few places it occurs. Thanks to Thomas Taaffe's auction on eBay for the specimen! Thanks also to Mark Heintzelman for the hematite colorant info!
Row 66
Muscovite This sharp miniature of tan muscovite comes from somewhere in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Thanks to Charles Creekmur's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Muscovite This thumbnail of red muscovite is from North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Thanks to Frank Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Muscovite A beautiful small cabinet muscovite rose from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Nicole Gariepy's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 67
Muscovite A pretty miniature of tan "star" muscovite on quartz from Scotland. Thanks to Janalynn Brewer's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Muscovite A museum piece of fine-grained red muscovite / quartz "schist" from Ontario, Canada. This material was originally ground up and used for road surfaces, but the glitter proved too distracting! Thanks to Don Bray & Robert Bressler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite A beautiful miniature of compact bright yellow muscovite rosettes from the Jaguaracu Pegmatite, Jaguaracu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The yellow coloring is caused by iron and lithium impurities - as described in the May/June 1994 Mineralogical Record. I enhanced the contrast of the rosette closeup (larger image, bottom) to more clearly show the compact rosette "petals". Thanks to David Von Bargen at the MSA for the identification and the MinRec reference!
Row 68
Muscovite A small cabinet specimen of blue-gray mica from Talcville, St. Lawrence County, New York. Thanks to Joe Vasichko's Rockmanjoe Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Muscovite An esthetic small cabinet specimen of a muscovite rosette on pink microcline from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thanks to Dave & Liz Douglass' (Douglass Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite, var. Alurgite This small cabinet specimen of alurgite on matrix is from the Praborna Mine, St. Marcel, Aosta, Italy. It's named after the Greek word for sea-purple, halourges; a reddish-purple dye extracted from the murex shell - the most expensive dye known in antiquity. Thanks to Allison Bada's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 69
Muscovite, var. Astrolite An excellent thumbnail of astrolite - a greenish-yellow radiating tabular muscovite - from the varietal type locality of the Pelz quarry, Diabase quarries, Neumark, Reichenbach, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany. Thanks to Markus Weiderer's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite, var. Fuchsite A large cabinet specimen of beautiful light-green muscovite mica (fuchsite) - the same mineral that gives aventurine its color and often has garnets riding on it. The green coloring is due (as is often the case) to a trace amount of chromium.	Muscovite, var. Gieseckite An excellent miniature of grayish-white gieseckite on nepheline from one of the quarries in Dungannon Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada. Gieseckite is a variety of muscovite containing some illite, a little calcite, and almost always pseudomorphs after nepheline. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 70
Muscovite, var. Gilbertite A besutiful small-cabinet specimen of white gilbertite (a compact variety of muscovite) and blue turquoise from the Gunheath Pit, Hensbarrow Moor, St. Austell, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The turquoise may be rashleighite (ferroan turquoise) - the type locality for rashleighite is only a short distance away. Ex: Michael Bates Collection with a David Baker, Broadstone Minerals tag. Thanks to Kevin Brady's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite, var. Oellacherite An excellent micro of sharp pale-green hexagonal oellacherite (a barium-bearing muscovite) crystals in a sugary dolomite matrix from the Lengenbach Quarry, Im Feld, Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland. Oellacherite's composition is somewhere between muscovite and its barium analog, ganterite. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Muscovite, var. Plumose This small cabinet piece shows an extremely rare habit variety of muscovite called "plumose mica" - it comes from near Usk, Pend Oreille County, Washington on the Idaho - Washington border. From the tag - "In the mid 60's a small mine in Northern Idaho ran into a small deposit of this material. A sample was sent to the Smithsonian where they named it and reported it to be the only deposit in existence at that time. The material was very limited and the mine was abandoned." Other plumose muscovites have been found since, notably from the Hale's Quarry near Glastonbury, Hartford County, Connecticut and the Superior Rock Company Quarry in Randville, Dickinson County, Michigan. Thanks to Keith Ludemann's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! Thanks also to Steve Kelland for the Connecticut locale & David Schuder for the Michigan locale!
Row 71
Muscovite, var. Sericite Sericite's the name given to the fine-grained compact variety of white muscovite. This miniature's from the Mount Hope Quarry in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Muscovite, var. Wilsonite A beautiful miniature of deep-pink wilsonite (a manganese-bearing sericite) from the 2012 find at the then new Rte 117 roadcut in the Wilsonite occurrence, La Conception, Les Laurentides RCM, Laurentides, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Alain Sankey's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Nacrite A small cabinet specimen of nacrite on a dolostone/qaurtz matrix from Saint-Eustache, Montréal, Québec, Canada. It's a tetramorph with dickite, halloysite, and kaolinite. Thanks to Kerry Day's (Kaygeedee Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 72
Nanpingite This is a cesium and tantalum-bearing yellow mica (probably nanpingite) from the McCallister tantalum pegmatite in Coosa County, Alabama. Thanks to Jennings "Beau" Gordon's (Jendon Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Neotocite An excellent miniature of almost-pure brownish-black neotocite (a hydrated manganese iron metasilicate) from the Taylor Mine near Alberta, Baraga County, Michigan. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Nepouite A small cabinet specimen of nepouite (a nickel magnesium hydroxysilicate) probably from the type locality of the Népoui Mine, Noumea, New Caledonia. This material is often marketed as garnierite. It's the orthorhombic dimorph of pecoraite. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe's (Summit Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 73
Nimite A pretty miniature of green nimite (a nickel aluminum magnesium hydroxysilicate) crusts on a dark matrix from Eibenthal, Almas Mts., Mehedinti County, Romania. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Nontronite A miniature of green nontronite (a hydrated iron sodium hydroxyaluminosilicate and a member of the smectite group in the clay family) from Wilson Springs, Garland County, Arkansas. The contrasting colors of the nontronite and the matrix are beautiful! Ex; Harry Uhl collection and collected in the 1960s. Thanks to Jennings "Beau" Gordon's (Jendon Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen!	Nontronite An excellent miniature of yellow nontronite from the Kongsberg Silver Mining District, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway. Thanks to Salvatore Natalizia's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 74
Nontronite Nontronite can also be dark-brown as in this thumbnail of tiny nontronite crystals on albite from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. Thanks to Darrel Merke's (Proton Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Nontronite An old (price on tag 75¢) thumbnail of brown nontronite in matrix from the New City Quarry, Crestmore Quarries, Crestmore, Riverside County, California. Thanks to Elwin Trump's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Oxyphlogopite Tiny translucent red-brown crystals of oxyphlogopite on matrix comprise this small miniature from the type locality of the Rothenberg basalt quarry, Bell, Mendig, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 75
Palygorskite A miniature of palygorskite (a hydrated magnesium aluminum hydroxysilicate and a member of the clay group) - it's also called "mountain leather" and attapulgite. I don't have a locale for this specimen. Thanks to Nature's Expressions' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Paragonite When the potassium in muscovite is replaced by sodium, it becomes paragonite - this beautiful dark gold miniature comes from the Williamson Valley in Arizona. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Paragonite, polytype 3T The 3T (triclinic) polytype is far less common than the two monoclinics - this silvery-white miniature of paragonite-3T crystals on matrix is from the Slyudorudnik Mine, Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk, Southern Urals, Russia. It has a Roger's Minerals, (Val Caron, Ontario) tag, P-113. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 76
Parsettensite A micromount of brown parsettensite (a manganese-rich member of the stilpnomelane family) plates from the Foote Mine, King's Mountain, North Carolina. Thanks to Don Smoley's Minerals & Gems table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Pecoraite A nice minaiture of pale green pecoraite (a nickel magnesium hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the Otway Nickel deposit, Nullagine, East Pilbara Shire, Western Australia, Australia. It's the monoclinic dimorph of nepouite and can is the nickel analog of chrysotile. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Penkvilksite A miniature of white massive penkvilksite (a hydrated sodium titanosilicate) from the type locality of the Yubileinaya pegmatite, Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Northern Region, Russia. Synthetic penkvilksite is being considered for 60Co adsorption. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 77
Pennantite A thumbnail of reddish-brown pennantite (a trioctahedral manganese chlorite) on matrix from the Ossola Valley, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy. Thanks to Brad Hilken's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Phlogopite A small-cabinet-sized book of green phlogopite mica - like most micas, phlogopite's mined for electrical and thermal insulation uses. This one's from the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Phlogopite often alters to vermiculite and is the magnesium analog of shirozulite. Thanks to Walter Mroch at The Gem and Mineral Exploration Company for the specimen and the image!	Phlogopite A crumpled book of golden-brown phlogopite from the Kodiak/Kitty Lynch Mine, Wakefield, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Darrel Merke's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 78
Phlogopite Beautiful booklets of coppery phlogopite - some of them (first row, center and right) are compact enought to cut - on quartz from Badakhshan, Afghanistan. The quartz has a green tourmaline and some (probable) rutile hairs (third row).	Phlogopite A small cabinet book of dark greenish-brown phlogopite, probably from Brazil.	Phlogopite This wonderful old 8" x 8" phlogopite sheet is from Canada - the label (larger image, bottom) bears the hand-written notation "Phlogopite with phantom, Canada - July 31, 1893" and identifies the piece as being from the collection of Wallace Goold Levison. Professor Levison was a scientist and mineralogist of great note, circa 1860 - 1920. He was the first editor of "American Mineralogist" magazine in 1919, a well-published member of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences and is credited by many as being the inventor of the first movie camera. Thanks to Carl Bentley's auction on eBay for the specimen, the images, and the Levison info!
Row 79
Phlogopite A sharp phlogopite crystal in gray calcite comprises this thumbnail from the Earle's Farm Fluororichterite occurrence, Monmouth Township, Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada. This location disappeared during road-widening in 1986. Thanks to Reiner Mielke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Phlogopite A beautiful micro of bright-red phlogopite on matrix from the San Vito quarry, San Vito, Ercolano, Monte Somma, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples Province, Campania, Italy. This phlogopite really does "resemble fire"! Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Phlogopite Phlogpite from the Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan tends to be highly compacted, enough so that it can be faceted rather than peeled apart. This 3½ inch specimen is no exception. Thanks to Lowell & Miev Carhart's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 80
Phlogopite A beautiful miniature of thick honey-brown phlogopite plates in matrix from the Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. Thanks to Naeem Khan's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Pimelite A good thumbnail of pimelite (a hydrated nickel hydroxysilicate clay) from the type locality of Szklary (Glasendorf), Zabkowice, Lower Silesia, Poland. Pimelite's status has changed over the years - a revalidation research project has begun. Thanks to Helmut Braith's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Pinite after Cordierite Pinite's the name given to pseudomorphs of mica and clay group minerals after other silicates, especially cordierite (in this case), nepheline, and scapolite - this miniature's from Timmins, South Porcupine, Ontario, Canada. Pinite inverts to mullite upon heating, thus making it valuable for refractories. Thanks to Ken Massie's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 81
Polylithionite This is another one of those busy miniatures from Mont Sainte Hilaire (Poudrette Quarry) - the mineral of interest here is polylithionite, one of the less common lithium-rich biotite micas. There's also astrophyllite, natrolite, catapleiite, aegirine, albite, and microcline present. Thanks to Tim Jokela, Jr. at Element 51 for the specimen!	Polylithionite A beautiful miniature polylithionite rosette from Mont Sainte Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. The larger image (closeup) shows an unidentified pair of crystals. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Polylithionite An excellent miniature of grayish-blue polylithionite from Varutrask, Skelleftea, Vasterbotten, Sweden. Thanks to Kyle Smith's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 82
Polylithionite A beautiful micro of deep-red polylithionite crystals in matrix from the Point of Rocks Quarry, Springer, Colfax County, New Mexico. Black aegirine is also present. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images!	Prehnite Prehnite's a companion of zeolites - this miniature from India also has gyrolite balls and two "cubes" of apophyllite. Thanks to Dean Johnstone at mineralsfromindia.com for the specimen!	Prehnite on Laumontite Very pale green prehnite crystals coat this laumontite miniature from Poona, India.
Row 83
Prehnite Big green wheels of prehnite (the first mineral to be named after a person) and a datolite crystal comprise this specimen from the classic locality of East Granby, Connecticut. Thanks to Carl Bentley's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Prehnite An excellent miniature of green prehnite balls on matrix from the O&G Quarry, Southbury, New Haven County, Connecticut. Ex: William Barrett collection. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!	Prehnite A beautiful thumbnail cluster of sharp prehnite crystals from the Jeffrey Quarry, Asbestos, Québec, Canada. Thanks to C. Carter Rich's table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!
Row 84
Prehnite A very rare orange prehnite cluster from the April 2000 find in a small fissure cavity (measuring only 20 cm wide and 40 cm deep) at the N'Chwaning II Mine, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The orange color is due to managnese and the crystals are atypical for prehnite - they have elongated pyramidal terminations anbd are quite transparent. It has a Scholten's Fine Minerals tag. Thanks to Marvin Schwalb's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Prehnite A beautiful miniature of blue prehnite Prospect Park Quarry, Prospect Park, Passaic County, New Jersey. This was one of many prehnite specimens collected by Jim VanderVeer in the late 1970s - in addition to the prehnite, there's veins of dark-green pumpellyite (larger image, center row), calcite, and datolite. Thanks to Karen VanderVeer's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Preiswerkite A beautiful small miniature of fine-grained light-green preiswerkite (an aluminum magnesium mica) in matrix from the type locality of Geisspfad, Binnental, Valais, Switzerland. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!
Row 85
Pyrophyllite A beautiful burgundy-tinted white pyrophyllite.	Pyrophyllite Most of the time pyrophyllite is in a massive form as a constituent of slate and other metamorphic rocks - this golden cluster is from the Ward Mine, Glendon, Moore County, North Carolina. Thanks to Clive Knell's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Pyrophyllite This rust-stained pyrophyllite cluster is from California. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 86
Pyrophyllite A thumbnail of pyrophyllite on quartzite from (probably Bisbee) Arizona. Thanks to Denise & Gary's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Pyrophyllite A colorful miniature of pyrophyllite from the Graves Mountain Mines, Lincoln County, Georgia. Thanks to Eva Stern's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Pyrophyllite A very rare green-tinted small cabinet pyrophyllite also from the Graves Mountain Mines. Thanks to Mike Streeter's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 87
Pyrophyllite A relatively rare compacted fibrous green pyrophyllite from the Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Les Sources RCM, Estrie, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Nicole Gariepy's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Pyrophyllite, polytype 1Tc Pyrophyllite occurs in two polytypes - this analyzed gelcap of flaky white and fibrous greenish-yellow triclinic pyrophyllite comes from the type locality of Borisovskie Sopki, Plast, Chelyabinsk, Southern Urals, Russia. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Pyrophyllite, polytype 2M This analyzed micro of the other (monoclinic) pyrophyllite polytype is from the Eagle Camp at the Champion Mine, White Mountains, Mono County, California. There's some minor rutile present. Thanks to Dieter Obrecht's The NetMine auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 88
Pyrosmalite-(Mn) An excellent thumbnail of yellow-brown pyrosmalite-(Mn) - formerly manganopyrosmalite - (a manganese iron hydroxychlorosilicate) crystal fragments from the Kyurasawa Mine, Ashio, Honshu Island, Japan. It's in association with spessartine, pyrrhotite and sphalerite. It forms a complete series with ferropyrosmalite - pyrosmalite-(Fe) - its iron analog. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Rectorite An excellent miniature of tan interwoven rectorite (a mixed clay-mica) strips from the Jeffrey Quarry near Jeffrey, Pulaski County, Arkansas. Synthetic rectorite has interesting uses, among them: as a nanocomposite mixed with SBR it becomes an excellent inner tube / tire liner, as a Chitosan-impregnated organic-rectorite (OREC) sponge, it excels at controlling wound infection and bleeding. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Reyerite A rich micro of white reyerite (a hydrated calcium hydroxysilicate) in basalt from Drynock, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Ex: David Shannon and Ralph Merrill Collections with a Mineral Zone tag. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 89
Rhodesite A good micro of white acicular rhodesite (a hydrated calcium potassium silicate) in vugs in a xenolite matrix from Stradner Kogel, Wilhelmsdorf, Bad Gleichenberg, Styria, Austria. Synthetic rhodesite-structures are under investigation for ion-exchange and, when REE-doped, as luminescent materials. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Roscoelite An excellent small-cabinet specimen of sub-millimeter black roscoelite crystals in matrix from the type locality of the Stuckslager Mine, Coloma, El Dorado County, California. Ex: Don Phillips Collection with a Thurston's Minerals tag (#241, $2). It's the V+3 analog of muscovite. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Sanbornite and Gillespite This type locality miniature from Mariposa County, California, consists primarily of pearly white sanbornite with some red gillespite accents. Both minerals are rare barium (there's only a few barium minerals at all) silicates - gillespite has some iron in it which accounts for the red coloration. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen!
Row 90
Saponite A nice micro of white saponite (a hydrated magnesium iron aluminum hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the Laurium Mine, south of Laurium, Houghton County, Michigan. Thanks to Chris Stefano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Saponite An excellent miniature of white amygdaloidal crystalline saponite (a member of the smectite group) in basalt from Quiraing, Staffin, Trotternish, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Ex: David Shannon Collection (7/30/1978) with a Larner Peak tag (#1370). Thanks to Kim & Cindy Strange's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Saponite, var. Ferroan Saponite As the ferrous iron content of saponite increases (replacing the magnesium), its color darkens. This micro of dark-green ferroan saponite on quartz comes from the varietal type locality of the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County, California. The ferrous iron content here is around 8%, not nearly enough to make it Ferrosaponite. Thanks to Brad Hilken's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 91
Saponite, var. Griffithite Ferric iron can also replace the aluminum in saponite - this small miniature of dark-green griffithite in matrix is from the varietal type locality of Griffith Park, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County, California. In analyzed griffthite, the ferric iron content is 7.3%; ferrous iron 7.8% - still far short of Ferrosaponite. Thanks to Vince Olsovsky's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Saponite, var Nickeloan Saponite A nice miniature of nickeloan (10.5% Ni) saponite from the highway intersection 1 mile W of Democrat, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The larger image (bottom) shows an additional thumbnail. This material, when stabilized, has also been marketed as garnierite. Thanks to Anthony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!	Saponite, var. Sobotkite An excellent miniature of massive pink sobotkite (aluminum-rich saponite) from Cuya, Los Camarones, Arica Province, Chile. Thanks to Kerry Day's (Kaygeedee Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 92
Sazhinite-(La) A good large micro of a white sazhinite-(La) (a hydrated sodium lanthanum silicate) prism in matrix from the type locality of the Aris Quarries, Aris, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia. In association are colorless analcime and greenish-yellow fibrous tuperssuatsiaite. It's the lanthanum analog of sazhinite-(Ce) and a member of the dalyite group. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Schallerite Schallerite's a 12-member-ring mica-like phyllosilicate with arsenic in its composition - it's also dimorphous with nelenite (ferroschallerite). This miniature comes from Franklin, New Jersey. Thanks to Emilie & Ron Kendig's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Searlesite A micromount of searlesite (a sodium hydroxyborosilicate) from the Boron Pit, Kern County, California. Thanks to Don Smoley's Minerals & Gems' table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen!
Row 93
Serpentine Because of its luster, this museum piece of brownish-green serpentine is often called Miroir de faille - the larger image shows the glare from the lighting. It comes from the Thetford Mines, Les Appalaches RCM, Chaudiere-Appalaches, Quebec, Canada. Thanks to Richard Valade's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Serpentine Serpentine can be other colors than green - this light-red serpentine chunk comes from Wyoming. Thanks to Carl Scott's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Serpentine, var. Marmolite Marmolite is a variety of serpentine with a medium-green color and embedded tiny black chromite crystals. This small-cabinet specimen comes from the varietal type locality of Castle Point, Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. The chromite is diagnostic for marmolite. Thanks to Lindsay Plotkin's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 94
Shirozulite A good micro of dark-red shirozulite (a manganese aluminum mica) in red-brown phlogopite from Palabora, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Shirozulite is the manganese analog of phlogopite. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Spodiophyllite An excellent miniature of pinkish spodiophyllite (a mica closely related to tainiolite) plates on an aegirine matrix from its type locality of the Narssârssuk pegmatite, Narssârssuk, Igaliku, Narsaq, Kitaa Province, Greenland. Though discredited by the IMA Mica Subcommittee in 1998, it remains the subject of much discussion. There are at least two formulas for its composition - (Na,K)4(Mg,Fe+2)3(Fe+3,Al)2(Si8O24) is the most prevalent. Thanks to Jason McAvoy's (Mineralman.com) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Stilpnomelane This excellent specimen of stilpnomelane (from two Greek words meaning "shining" and "black") on white chert comes from Bellingham, Skagit County, Washington. The large image (second row) shows a second specimen with a heavier coating of stilpnomelane on green and white chert from the same location. Thanks to Joseph George's (Cascade Scepters) auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 95
Stilpnomelane Occasionally stilpnomelane occurs in other colors, like this golden small cabinet specimen from the famous French Creek Mine, St. Peters, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Ron Sloto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Stilpnomelane, var. Chalcodite This miniature of bronze-colored chalcodite (iron-rich stilpnomelane) and hematite on calcite comes from the varietal type locality of the Sterling Mine in Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York. Thanks to Dan Wienrich at Dan & Jill Weinrich for the specimen and the image!	Stilpnomelane, var. Ekmanite A small cabinet specimen of ekmanite (manganoan stilpnomelane) and orange-red fluorescent calcite from the type locality of the Brunsjögruvan (Brunsjö Mine), Grythyttan, Västmanland, Sweden. Thanks to SoCal Nevada's auction on eBay for the specimen and images!
Row 96
Strigovite Strigovite's an obscure member of the chlorite group - Fe3(Al,Fe)3Si3O11(OH)7 - it occurs here with pyrite and smoky quartz on an orthoclase matrix from the type locality of the Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Lower Silesia, Poland. Some references consider strigovite to be thuringite (ferroan chamosite) or an odd habit of chamosite. Thanks to Mirek Dorejko's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Strzegomite A beautiful hand specimen (over 3kg) of feldspar and smoky quartz covered with strzegomite, an iron- and aluminum-rich chlorite from the type locality of Strzegom, Swidnica District, Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Lower Silesia, Poland. There are also tiny orange-brown stilbite-Ca crystals present (larger image, top row, center). Thanks to Lukasz Niedzielski's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Sudoite An excellent micro of greenish-gray sudoite (a magnesium aluminum member of the chlorite group) crystals on matrix from the Cedec Valley, Valfurva, Valtellina, Sondrio Province, Lombardy, Italy. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 97
Tainiolite A miniature with a few grayish-green ribbons of tainiolite (larger image, center) from Imperia Province, Liguria, Italy. Tainiolite is a magnesium potassium lithium member of the biotite series. Thanks to Ingo Drescher's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Talc A very nice miniature of light-green talc from Chester, Windsor County, Vermont. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Talc Light-green talc from the Ropes gold mine in Ishpeming, Marquette County, Michigan. Thanks to Brian McManus at the Pebble Peddler for the specimen!
Row 98
Talc A beautiful large miniature of green talc from the Broughton Talc Mine, West Broughton, Chaudiere-Appalaches, Quebec, Canada. Collected by Dr. Donald Doell Jr. in 2008. Higher resolution photos can be seen at MinDat. Thanks to Rob Lavinsky at The Arkenstone for the specimen and the images!	Talc A beautful large miniature of foliated green talc from the Argonaut Talc Mine, Ludlow, Windsor Co.unty, Vermont. Thanks to Ken & Lynda Dinneen's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Talc A pretty miniature of bluish-green talc from the Green Talc Mine, Mineral County, Nevada. Thanks to Nick & Cindy Rogers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 99
Talc, var. Steatite Steatite (or soapstone) is the massive variety of talc - this miniature is from the Old Indian Quarry, Talmadge Hill, Fairfield Cunty, Connecticut. MinDat doesn't have a link for this location. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Tetraferrinontronite A miniature of brown massive tetraferrinontronite from the Ingichka Mine, Zirabulak Mts, Samarkand Viloyati, Uzbekistan. It came from dealer Tony Jones in May 2010 and has a European-style collection tag. The name has not been approved by the IMA, but an analyzed sample has this formula: Mg0.20Fe3+3.80[(Si6.98Al0.15Fe3+0.87)O20](OH)4Ca0.45Mg0.15Na0.02 and it's related to other nontronite minerals. Thanks to David H. Garske's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Tetraferriphlogopite A nice miniature of bronze-green tetraferriphlogopite from the Keivy Mountains, Kola Peninsula, Northern Region, Russia. It's the ferric analog of phlogopite. Thanks to Robert Vano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 100
Tungusite An excellent micro of greenish radiating tungusite (a calcium iron hydroxysilicate) on matrix from Newbury Park, Santa Monica Mts, Ventura County, California. It's a member of the gyrolite group. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Tuperssuatsiaite with Villiaumite Named for its discovery site in Greenland, tuperssuatsiaite is a member of the mica family. This miniature comes from the Aris Quarry in Windhoek, Namibia. The tuperssuatsiaite appears as golden tufts in the minute vugs (closeups) along with black aegirine needles and submillimeter villaumite cubes (larger image, bottom right). Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen!	Tuperssuatsiaite A somewhat better miniature from the same locale - the tuperssuatsiaite tuft is much more visible! There's also some unidentified minerals under the tuft (larger image, bottom right). Thanks to Justin Zzyzx's (ZzyzxMinerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 101
Vermiculite A reddish-brown book of vermiculite from Goiás, Brazil. Vermiculite's an alteration product of muscovite - water becomes trapped between the layers. The resulting enormous expansion upon heating makes vermiculite useful for thermal and acoustical insulation. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen!	Vermiculite A miniature vermiculite plate from the copper-apatite-vermiculite mine at Palabora, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Thanks to Kyle Smith's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Vermiculite, var. Jeffersite This large miniature of bronze-black jeffersite, a variety of vermiculite, comes from the varietal type locality of the Brinton's Quarry, West Chester, Chester County. The closeup shows blue-gray areas of probable delamination. It's named after the famous Chester County collector whose collection forms the core of the Carnegie Museum collection in Pittsburgh. Jeffersite is now considered by most references to be a synonym for vermiculite and not a bronze-colored variety. Thanks to Ron Sloto's auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 102
Vertumnite An excellent thumbnail of acicular vertumnite sprays on matrix from the Bellerberg volcano area in Ettringen, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany- probably the Caspar quarry. It also occurs as transparent pseudohexagonal plates at the same location. This specimen has an Excalibur Minerals tag. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the image!	Vladykinite An excellent micro of pale pink vladykinite (a complex strontium 4-, 5-, and 8-ring phyllosilicate) aggregates on a feldspar-aegirine matrix from the type locality of Tausonitovaya Gorka, Murun Massif, Aldan Shield, Eastern Siberia, Russia. Vladykinite is structurally similar to the nordite group minerals and is often pseudomorphed by strontianite. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Volkonskoite A solid thumbnail of volkonskoite, a chromium-containing member of the smectite/montmorillonite group of hydrated hydroxysilicates. It's from the Ural Mountains in Russia, possibly from the type locality of Efimyatskaya Mountain. It's used as a "natural mineral pigment" in high-quality discoloration-resistant paint (also in artists' oil paint - it's said that Picasso imported Russian volkonskoite for his work) and in ceramic glazes. Thanks to Chris Wong's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 103
Wesselsite and Sugulite A pretty miniature of pink sugilite and bright blue wesselsite (a strontium copper tetrasilicate) in a pectolite matrix from the type locality of the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari manganese field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. It's a member of the gillespite group and forms a complete series with effenbergerite where barium replaces some of the copper. Thanks to John Veevaert at Trinity Minerals for the specimen and the images!	Willemseite A beautiful micro of bluish-green willemseite (a nickel magnesium hydroxysilicate) from Zabkowice, Zabkowice Slaskie District, Lower Silesia, Poland. It's the nickel end-member of the talc group, and, in nanometer-sized crystals, is the green color in chrysoprase. Thanks to Brad Hilken's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Windhoekite An excellent micro of tiny tan blades of windhoekite (a hydrated iron calcium hydroxysilicate) on matrix from the type (and only) locality of the Aris Quarries, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia. It's a member of the palygorskite group. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!
Row 104
Wonesite A thumbnail of dark-brown interlocking wonesite plates comprising matrix from the type locality of the Post Pond Volcanics, Mt Cube Quadrangle, Norwich, Windsor County, Vermont. It's one of the many mica group members. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen!	Yofortierite Beautiful pink yofortierite in matrix from the type locality of Mont St. Hilaire's famous Poudrette Quarry. There's both massive and crystalline sprays (closeup) here. It's the manganese analog of palygorskite. Thanks to Emilie & Ron's auction on eBay for the specimen!	Yofortierite An interesting micro of a light-pink spray of yofortierite, again from the type locality of MSH. Thanks to Arnaldo Brunetti's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!
Row 105
Yofortierite An excellent miniature of dark-pink acicular yofortierite in a vug from the Demix-Varennes quarry, Saint-Amable sill, Varennes & St-Amable, Lajemmerais RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada. The yofortierite cluster is about 5mm across and it was collected in 2008. Thanks to Jonathan Levinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Yofortierite A rich micro of dark-browm yofortierite in matrix from Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Murmanskaya, Russia. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Zakharovite Tiny yellow crystals of zakharovite (a hydrated manganese sodium hydroxydecasilicate) on matrix comprise this thumbnail from the Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie, Quebec. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen!
Row 106
Zakharovite, var. Ferroan Zakharovite This micro from the type (and only) locality of the Aris Quarries, Aris, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia comprises orange ferroan zakharovite on matrix. Compositionally, it's somewhere between zakharovite and its as-yet-unnamed iron analog, right. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images!	Zakharovite, Unnamed Fe-analog There is also an as-yet-unnamed iron analog of zakharovite where ferrous iron replaces the manganese. This micro of brownish-orange crystals on matrix comes from the type (and only) locality of the Aris Quarries, Aris, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!	Zinnwaldite A very nice miniature of zinnwaldite (a rare member of the mica group) from the type locality of Zinwald, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany. Ex: Curt G. Segeler collection. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen and the image!

maintained by: Alan Guisewite

Last Update 22 Jul 2018