| 52 Rows |
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 Alcaparrosaite
A very new mineral! An excellent miniature of tiny yellow sprays of monoclinic alcaparrosaite (a potassium iron titanium sulfate) on a lavender coquimbite matrix from the type locality of the Alcaparrosa Mine, Cerritos Bayos, Calama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile. It's the first titanium sulfate mineral and according to Gunnar Farber (who discovered it in 2008), it's hydrophobic and light enough that it floats on water. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen! | |
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 Aluminite
Newhaven, East Sussex, England is the home of this cauliflower head of aluminite (hydrated aluminum hydroxysulfate). Under longwave UV it fluoresces bluish-white on one side and yellowish-white on the other! Thanks to SoCal Nevada's auction on eBay for the specimen and images! |
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 Aluminocopiapite
An excellent micro of yellow-brown drusy aluminocopiapite (a hydrated iron aluminum hydroxysulfate) on matrix from the Alcaparrosa Mine, Cerritos Bayos, Calama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile. It's related to ferricopiapite, where ferric iron replaces the aluminum. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 2 |
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 Alunite
This beautiful vein of alunite (a potassium aluminum hydroxysulfate) comes from an unknown location (probably Arizona). Alunite is mined as a source of alum, but specimens like this are often slabbed, polished, and sold as "Angel Wing Turquoise". Thanks to Charley William's AZPERIDOT auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Anhydrite
A big (16 cm) anhydrite (calcium sulfate) fan (jewelers call this light periwinkle color "angelite") from the recent find in the silver mines of Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. The back side has some micro chalcopyrites strewn about. Thanks to Cathy Krismanits' (Southwestern Sales) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Anhydrite
A beautiful (especially when backlit, larger image, right) cleavage fragment of purple anhydrite from the Faraday Uranium Mine (now the Madawaska Mine), Bancroft, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada. As with smoky quartz, the color is due to natural irradiation. Thanks to Bill Awald's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 3 |
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 Anhydrite
This miniature of anhydrite is freestanding - it's also from Naica. |
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 Arcanite
A little plastic container of brown arcanite (potassium sulfate) spherules from the Dingo Donga Cave, Madura Motel, Eucla, Western Australia, Australia. Arcanite was known artificially long before it was found in nature. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Argentojarosite
A large thumbnail of pure argentojarosite (anhydrous silver ferric hydroxysulfate) from the type locality of the Tintic Standard Mine, Tintic, Utah County, Utah. |
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| Row 4 |
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 Barite
This is a barite "desert rose" from the classic locality of Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma and it's about three inches in diameter. Thanks to Great South Gems & Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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 Barite
Beautiful blue pointed blades of barite up to 3 cm coat this entire specimen from Cavnic, Maramures County, Romania. Thanks to Chris Korpi at Pangaea Minerals for the specimen! | |
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 Barite
A very nice floater of pure white barite from the Hecla Rosebud Mine, Pershing County, Nevada. Thanks to RAM Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 5 |
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 Barite
A single crystal of deep yellow barite from Elk City, South Dakota. Thanks to Roger Hoek at ARCH Mineralsfor the specimen and the image! | |
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 Barite
A smaller cluster of smaller pure white barite from the Hecla Rosebud Mine, Pershing County, Nevada. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Barite
Colorless transparent barite on matrix from the Shangulowe Mine (Shangulubwe), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ex-Zaïre), Katanga, Africa. Thanks to Gary Lozonne at Lozonne's Minerals for the specimen! |
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| Row 6 |
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 Barite with
Stibnite
Yellow transparent barite with stibnite, some as inclusions, from the Post Pit, Carlin Trend, Eureka County, Nevada. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Barite with
Periclase
Colorless barite with black iron-rich periclase (magnesium oxide) inclusions in this odd specimen from Cartersville, Bartow County, Georgia. Thanks to Brett Shafer at The Mineral Vug for the specimen and the image! |
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 Barite
A very nice cluster of honey barites from the famous Rock Candy Mine, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks to Marty Lewadny at CrystalEnthusia (formerly Crystal Variations) for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 7 |
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 Barite
Translucent tan barite coxcombs from the Palos Verde Peninsula, Los Angeles County, California. Thanks to Emilie & Ron Kendig's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Barite
Tiny sprays of microscopic yellow barite needles from Butte County, South Dakota - the back is coated with them as well. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Barite
Transparent yellow barite thumbnail from the famous Meikle Mine, Elko County, Nevada. Thanks to Rory Howell's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 8 |
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 Barite
Golden barite on matrix from the (20-year closed) Gilman Mine in Eagle County, Colorado. Thanks to Rory Howell's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Barite
Beautiful colorless (they look tan because the matrix shows through) barite rosettes comprise this specimen from the sea cliffs of Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, California. Thanks to Rick & Deana Seng's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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 Barite
More blue barite - this one's probably from the Hartsel, Park County, Colorado area. Thanks to Cindy Monnich's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 9 |
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 Barite
A beautiful, gemmy, colorless barite crystal from the Book Cliffs area, Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado. Thanks to C. Carter Rich's table at the Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! | |
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 Barite
Light green barite from Shaba, Zaire. Thanks to Dan Wienrich at Dan & Jill Weinrich for the specimen and the image! |
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 Barite
A beautiful golden gemmy barite crystal on a yellow calcite druse from Elk Creek, Black Hills County, South Dakota. Thanks to Roger Hoek's (ARCH Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 10 |
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 Barite
A beautiful cluster of tiny light yellow barites also from the Barrick Meikle Mine, near Carlin, Elko County, Nevada. |
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 Barite
A plate of very euhedral golden barite crystals on matrix from Czechoslovakia. Most of the barites have a green coating - probably the same mineral that's the top layer on the matrix. This small cabinet piece appears to be from an old collection. |
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 Barite
Beautiful 3 - 9 mm rosettes of white barite on matrix comprise this small cabinet specimen from the Rosiclare Level of Minerva Mine #1, Cave-in-Rock District, Hardin County, Illinois. Thanks to North Star Minerals' table at the 2002 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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| Row 11 |
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 Barite
A beautiful cabinet specimen of rare "black" (charcoal-gray) barite prisms on limestone from the Lucky Strike Prospect, Sierra County, New Mexico. Thanks to Tom Hales' (Museum Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Barite
A gorgeous miniature of pale olive-green barite blades from the 2003 find near Mu Li (Ebian), Sichuan Province, China. Thanks to Jim & Linda Bowers' auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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 Barite
A beautiful miniature of white-tipped barite crystals from the now-closed limestone quarry at Aguathuna, Newfoundland. Thanks to Marty Lewadny at CrystalEnthusia (formerly Crystal Variations) for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 12 |
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 Barite
A beautiful delicate barite rose thumbnail from Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! | |
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 Barite
A large cabinet specimen of orange barite with cerussite, linarite, and galena from the Mibladen Mine, Mibladen, Khenifra, Morocco. Thanks to Donna & David Stowell's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Barite
An excellent 2cm blue barite crystal from the Sterling Mine, Stoneham, Weld County, Colorado. Thanks to Graeber & Himes' table at the 2004 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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| Row 13 |
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 Barite, var.
Hokutolite
This is a beautiful small cabinet specimen of hokutolite (plumboan barite) from Guang 'Xi Province, China. Thanks to Chen Hai Zhou's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Bentorite
A very rare micro of purple bentorite (a hydrated calcium chromium aluminum hydroxysulfate) fragments in matrix from the type locality of the Hatrurim Formation, Negev desert, Israel. It's the chromian analog of ettringite, where chromium replaces most of the aluminum. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 14 |
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 Bieberite
Pinkish crusts of bieberite (cobalt(II) sulfate heptahydrate) and blue chalcanthite adorn this large thumbnail from the Blue Lizard Mine, Chocolate Drop, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah. With the right (mineral) )association, bieberite may dehydrate to moorhouseite. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images! |
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 Bilinite
A micro of massive yellowish bilinite (a hydrated ferrosoferric sulfate) from Lřnset, Oppdal, Sřr-Trřndelag, Norway. It's the ferric-iron dominant member of the Halotrichite group and is formed by oxidizing pyrite in water; thus it's a marker for acid minewater run-off. Thanks to Amanda Larson's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Blödite
A pair of 25mm equant blödite (sodium magnesium sulfate tetrahydrate) crystals from Soda Lake, Carizzo Plain, San Luis Obispo County, California. These date to the early 70s and I do not know what the darkening inclusions are. Potassium can replace some of the sodium but there is no complete series to leonite. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 15 |
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 Botryogen
and Voltaite
Dark amber botryogen (a hydrated iron magnesium hydroxysulfate) and green voltaite (a hydrated iron potassium aluminum sulfate) on halotrichite from Emery County, Utah - there's also some brown copiapite (a hydrated iron hydroxysulfate) present. Botryogen forms a series with zincobotryogen where zinc (and occasionally manganese) replaces the iron. Voltaite forms a series with zincovoltaite where zinc replaces the (ferrous) iron. Thanks to Adam Larson's (Adam's Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Boussingaultite
A miniature of pinkish-yellow boussingaultite (ammonium magnesium sulfate hexahydrate) from the currently inactive The Geysers, West Mayacmas District, Mayacmas Mts, Sonoma County, California. There's also some brown mascagnite and dark-red metastibnite present. This specimen was in two earlier collections: F. Cooper Collection 8/64, and David Shannon Collection, number SA-33A. Boussingaultite may occur as a hydration product of (anhydrous) efremovite. It is related to, but does not form a series with, nickelboussingaultite, but does form a complete series with mohrite where ferrous iron replaces the magnesium. It's also a member of the Picromerite Group - also referred to as Tutton's Salts in inorganic chemistry. Thanks to Kristen Burgess' auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Cannonite
Submillimeter rosettes of colorless cannonite (bismuth oxyhydroxysulfate) crystals formed by alteration of the bismuthinite matrix comprise this micro from the Alsó-Rózsa adit, Nagybörzsöny, Börzsöny Mts, Pest County, Hungary. Synthetic cannonite is a promising photocatalyst with potential application in the (degradation) treatment of dye-containing wastewaters. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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| Row 16 |
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 Carrboydite
Carrboydite's a nickel copper aluminum hydroxycarbonatosulfate - it occurs as tiny radial clusters on this miniature from the type locality of the Carr Boyd Rocks Nickel Mine, Kalgoolie, Western Australia, Australia. Thanks to SoCal Nevada's auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Celestite
Celesite (or celestine, strontium sulfate) is named for its sky-blue color which supposedly is due to colloidal gold. It's mined as an ore of strontium. |
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 Celestite
Gray celestite and colorless calcite from the Meckley Quarry, Mandata, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 17 |
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 Celestite
More celestite from the same quarry, but a single, gemmy crystal instead. Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Celestite
A very nice specimen of red (hematite inclusions, probably) celestite from Bineu-Kyr (Beinev-Kyr), Turkmenistan. Thanks to the Columbia Trading Company's auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Celestite
This beautiful colorless celestite comes from the famous Stoneco (Scofield) Quarry in Maybee, Michigan. Thanks to H M & D Minerals' table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! | |
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| Row 18 |
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 Celestite
An excellent specimen of blocky white celestite from the Maumee Stone Quarry Lime City, Wood County, Ohio. Thanks to H M & D Minerals' table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Celestite
Celestite and sulfur from the sulfur mine at Machów, Tarnobrzeg, Podkarpackie, Poland. Thanks to Gloria's Minerals' table at the 2001 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Celestite
A nice color celestite from the Amherstburg Quarry in Amherstburg, Maldon Township, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Thanks to Louis Talley's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 19 |
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 Celestite
A small cabinet blocky white (almost massive) celestite from the Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Durango, Mexico. Thanks to Juan Angel Tort-Figueroa of Torreon, Mexico, for the specimens! |
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 Celestite
This excellent cabinet specimen of colorless celestite was mined around 1986 by John Medici, who wrote the Michigan celestite deposit report for the Mineralogical Record. It's from Maybee, Monroe County, Michigan. Thanks to Justin Zzyzx's (ZzyzxMinerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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 Celestite
An odd miniature of massive folded greenish-gray celestite from a clay pit near the village of Alvanovo, Tyrgovishte district, northeast Bulgaria. Thanks to Emil Stoyanov's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 20 |
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 Celestite
Even though this miniature has a typical Madagascaran termination, it's from the Scofield Quarry, Maybee, Michigan. The larger image (bottom row, center) shows a sulfur inclusion "phantom" and the bottom right image shows a cluster of white phosphorescing fluorite. Thanks to Sarah Williams' auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Celestite
A very nice chisel-terminated light-blue 2-inch celestite crystal from the Holloway Quarry, Newport, Monroe County, Michigan. Thanks to H M & D Minerals' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Celestite
This 2-inch colorless celestite crystal from the Stoneco Quarry, Portage, Wood County, Ohio has a different termination. Thanks to H M & D Minerals' table at the 2003 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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| Row 21 |
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 Celestite
A large cabinet specimen of rare "spike-terminated" celestite crystals from Madagascar. Thanks to Michael Kaster's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Celestite
A fascinating small cabinet specimen of celestite from the now-closed (to collectors) Chittenango Falls, Fenner Township, Madison County, New York. The larger image shows some of the sharp terminations. Thanks to Val Collins' auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Celestite
A miniature of celestite from Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York. It has a Larry Conklin tag and is also ex: Peter Zodac collection. Thanks to David Poore's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 22 |
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 Celestite
An interesting small cabinet specimen of five sharp celestite crystals scattered about a scalenohedral calcite matrix from the famous Pugh Quarry, Custar, Wood County, Ohio. Thanks to Walter Mroch's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Celestite
A beautiful pale blue 20mm celestite floater from Dundas, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada. Thanks to Kim & Cindy Strange's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Celestite
An excellent thumbnail of type-locality fibrous vein-filling celestite in slate from Bell's Mill, Bellwood, Blair County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to the Carnegie Natural History Museum Store for the specimen! | |
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| Row 23 |
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 Celestite, var.
Chrysanthemum Stone
A beautiful sharp celestite "Chrysanthemum Stone" on slate from China. Other minerals can form the flower - still others can form the background. Sometimes the matrices are washed with dark coloring to highlight the flower. Thanks to Tom Hales' (Museum Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Charlesite
A nice small cabinet specimen of charlesite (a complex hydrated calcium aluminum compound sulfate) from the Wessels Mine in the Kalahari district of Cape Province, South Africa. Thanks to Justin Zzyzx's (ZzyzxMinerals auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Coquimbite
This is a miniature of dark yellow coquimbite (ferric sulfate nonahydrate) on matrix from Emery County, Utah - probably the Dexter #7 Mine. Thanks to Adam Larson's (Adam's Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 24 |
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 Coquimbite and
Amarantite
This is a cabinet specimen of the iron sulfates, coquimbite - spelled "cokambite" on the label - and amarantite (ferric hydroxysulfate trihydrate) on matrix from Antofagasta (the type locality for amarantite), Chile. They're both the same color and occur here as an admixed coating. Coquimbite's dimorphic with paraoquimbite. Thanks to Jeff & Heather McCammon's (Second Nature Colorado) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Coquimbite
Coquimbite can also be light-violet in color, as this beautiful small cabinet specimen from the Dexter #7 Mine shows. Most of the crystals are eroded, but there's at least one very sharp crystal (larger image, middle right). There's also some blue pisanite (larger image, bottom left) and tiny black voltaite crystals (larger image, bottom right). Thanks to Michael Flaherty's auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Creedite
A cluster of light-brown (iron-stained) creedite (a hydrated calcium aluminum sulfate with fluoride and hydroxide cations) from Mina Navidad, Durango, Mexico. Because of the predominating fluoride and hydroxide ions, some references classify creedite with the halogenides - its physical properties much more resemble the sulfates. |
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| Row 25 |
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 Creedite
A gemmy cluster of violet creedite from the Hall Mine in Nye County, Nevada. Thanks to Frank P. Butler's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Creedite
A beautiful miniature of sparkling colorless creedite on blue-green fluorite from the Navidad Mine, Durango, Mexico Thanks to Juan Angel Tort-Figueroa of Torreon, Mexico, for the specimens! | |
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 Creedite
A beautiful thumbnail of gemmy lavender creedite from the Potosi Mine, Francisco Portillo, Santa Eulalia District, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico. The main crystal has a sharp termination (larger image, bottom). Thanks to Candace Delaney's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 26 |
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 Emmonsite
A small patch of green emmonsite (a hydrated iron tellurite) on a thumbnail matrix from the San Miguel Mine, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Thanks to David H. Garske's (MINERALS and MORE) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Ettringite
A very pretty thumbnail of yellow ettringite (a calcium aluminum hydroxysulfate) on black manganite from the N'Chwaning Mine in the Kalahari Manganese Fields of South Africa - the ettringite appears greenish because it's so transparent that the black manganite shows through. Thanks to Craig Ackermann's (KalahariMinerals.com) auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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 Ettringite
A large thumbnail of ettringite crystals on matrix from the N'Chwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, Kuruman, South Africa. Thanks to Craig Ackermann's (KalahariMinerals.com) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 27 |
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 Ettringite
An interesting thumbnail aasociation of a black gaudyfroyite crystal and red andradites on a terminated ettringite crystal, again, from the N'Chwaning II Mine. Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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 Ettringite
A beautiful thumbnail of gemmy, bright yellow ettringite from the October 2003 find at the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The crystals are terminated by prisms truncated by a pinacoid. Thanks to Kathy Wittwer's auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Ettringite
A thumbnail of white radial acicular ettringite on matrix from Pendeen, St. Just, Cornwall, England. Ettringite, when found in concrete, is a marker for accelerated deterioration, see Delayed (or Secondary) Ettringite Formation in the literature. Thanks to Colleen Thomson's Thomson Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 28 |
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 Eugsterite
A large thumbnail of white eugsterite (a hydrated sodium calcium sulfate) efflorescent crusts on matrix from the Eagle Borax Spring, Death Valley, Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. Thanks to Stefano Broetto's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Ferricopiapite
An excellent thumbnail of light-yellow ferricopiapite (a hydrated ferrosoferric hydroxysulfate) crystal aggregates on a tschermigite and alunogen matrix from the Pecs-Vasas coal mine, Pecs, Baranya County in the Mecsek Mtns., Hungary. It's one of the four end-members of the copiapite group. Thanks to Gabor Koller's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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| Row 29 |
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 Fibroferrite
A beautiful thumbnail of parallel-fiber clusters (closeup, larger image) of fibroferrite (iron (III) hydroxysulfate pentahydrate) from Emery County, Utah. Thanks to Adam Larson's (Adam's Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Glauberite
The crystal habit of glauberite (a slightly soluble sodium calcium sulfate) is distinctive. This specimen may be a pseudomorph since it doesn't dissolve and it's harder than true glauberite. It's named after the German chemist Johann Glauber and used as a source of Glauber's salt (sodium sulfate). |
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 Gypsum
An old miniature of gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) from Windsor, Nova Scotia, Hants County, Canada. The specimen is entirely gypsum - in two habits; white, fine-grained and tan "plumose" radial aggregates. It dates from the late 1800's - ex: L.L. Hubbard collection. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 30 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Satin Spar
This is the "satin spar" selenite variety of gypsum. |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
This is a beautiful thumbnail of sage green translucent satin-spar selenite from St. Mary's, Maryland. Thanks to the Carnegie Natural History Museum Store for the specimen! |
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| Row 31 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
This is another gypsum variety called "desert rose" or "selenite rose". Most dealers' selenite roses have been "brushed" with a propane torch to create the white "petal" edges. |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
A bouquet of selenite roses from the Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.They fluoresce a brillant white under longwave UV, with a light green phosphorescence. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
A cabinet cluster of selenites from Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. Thanks to Bob Keller at the Arizona Mineral Company for the specimen and the image!
Image copyrighted by the Arizona Mineral Company. |
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| Row 32 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
Beautiful light green fragile selenite needles from the Pernatty Lagoon Mount Gunson, South Australia, Australia - possibly the only location for this rare color. |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
Orange selenite from the Red River Floodway, Manitoba, Canada. Thanks to Marty Lewadny at CrystalEnthusia (formerly Crystal Variations) for the specimen and the image! |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
Another selenite from the Red River Floodway - this one was just too pretty to pass up! Thanks to Dave Hayward at Lucky Strike Minerals for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 33 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
A sharp cluster of colorless selenite from Cavnic, Romania. Thanks to Gary Lozonne at Lozonne's Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
Willow Creek, near Nanton, Alberta, Canada is famous for these beautiful clear selenite rhombs. Under longwave UV their zonal fluorescence is amazing - the end-on view (bottom, larger picture) shows that the fluorescence is also split between the top and bottom "halves". Thanks to Wright's Rock Shop's table at the Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! | |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite on
Dolomite
There's an interesting mix of selenite on dolomite in this specimen from Bou Becker, Touissit, Oujda, Morocco - the dolomite changes color from white through orange to red while the selenite changes to green (probable brochantite inclusions). Thanks to Darrel Merke's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 34 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
This is an old (1960s) and rare miniature of Christmas Tree selenite from Copperus Creek near Wynne, Cross County, Arkansas. Thanks to John Siewiorek's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
From the old to the new - this is from the 2001 find of yellow selenite on a selenite matrix from Mina Salido, Pisco, Peru (not to be confused with the equally new yellow selenite on colorless halite found at Los Salinas, Ica, Peru). Thanks to Mike Keim at Marin Minerals for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
A doubly-terminated selenite crystal with inclusions from the Great Salt Plains Reservoir, north of Jet, Alfala County, Oklahoma, collected back in the early 60s. Thanks to Olympic Mountain Gems, Inc. for the specimen! |
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| Row 35 |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
This golden selenite's from the other new find in 2001 at Los Salinas, Ica, Peru. In addition to it being on a halite matrix, these specimens usually have clusters of selenites - I've enhanced the contrast on the cluster closeups to show the detail. | |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
A large cluster of orange selenite from the salt lakes around Mount Gunson, South Australia. Thanks to Tom Hales' auction on eBay for the specimen and image! |
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 Gypsum,
var. Selenite
An excellent stack of selenite crystals from the Swift Current watershed in Saskatchewan, Canada. Thanks to Donna Lee Hanlon's (Donna's Treasures) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 36 |
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 Halotrichite
A beautiful (and very fragile) specimen of halotrichite (an iron aluminum sulfate) from the long-closed Flux Mine, Harshaw District, Patagonia Montains, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Some of the halotrichite is colored blue and green by copper. Halotrichite forms a series with pickeringite, its magnesium analog and is closely related to apjohnite, its manganese analog. Thanks to Wayne Bloechl's (GeoJoe's) auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Hanksite
A single crystal of hanksite from the type locality of Searles Lake, San Bernardino County, California. The second image (larger picture, right) is backlit to show the darker green center. | |
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 Honessite
A miniature of green fibrous honessite (a hydrated nickel iron hydroxysulfate) with millerite in a geode from Hall's Gap, Lincoln County, Kentucky. It's the sulfate analog of reevesite. Thanks to Jennings "Beau" Gordon's (Jendon Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 37 |
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 Hydrohonessite
Light-yellow hydrohonessite (a hydrated nickel iron hydroxysulfate) and light-green gaspeite on a gossan matrix comprise this miniature from the type locality of the Otter Shoot nickel mine, Otter Juan mine, Kambalda Nickel mines, Kambalda, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia, Australia. This specimen comes from the Western Australian Museum. Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen! | |
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 Ilesite
A micro box with white ilesite (a hydrated manganese zinc iron sulfate) from the Penn Mine in Summit County, Colorado. Ilesite is often considered to be just manganese sulfate tetrahydrate and is sold as such commercially. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Jarosite
A miniature of brown jarosite (iron potassium hydroxysulfate) crystals (rare!) on limonite from the type locality of Barranco Jaroso, Sierra Almagrera, Spain. In March 2004, the Mars rover Opportunity found jarosite on Mars! Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen! | |
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| Row 38 |
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 Jarosite
A small cabinet specimen of brown jarosite on matrix - the larger image shows a miniature with yellow jarosite - the antique French label just has Nevada and Utah for the locales. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe's (Summit Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Jurbanite
A large micro of white jurbanite (aluminum hydroxysulfate pentahydrate) crystal clusters on matrix from the Le Cetine Mine, Chiusdino, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy. It's the monoclinic dimorph of orthorhombic rostite. Jurbanite is a marker for aluminum solubility in both soil and water. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Khademite
An excellent micro of white khademite (aluminum fluosulfate pentahydrate) crusts on matrix from the Rammelsberg Mine, Rammelsberg, Goslar, Harz, Lower Saxony, Germany. Ex: Charles E. Bosworth collection. Thanks to Jake Slagle's Maryland Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and images! |
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| Row 39 |
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 Kieserite
A vial of kieserite (magnesium sulfate monohydrate) from the type locality of Stassfurt, Stassfurt Potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Kieserite is used as is for a soil fertilizer. Thanks to Jonathan Green's auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Klebelsbergite
on Stibnite
Klebelsbergite (an antimony oxyhydroxysulfate) occurs on stibnite as a weathering product. This rare miniature's from the Pereta (antimony) Mine, Gosseto Province, Tuscany, Italy. Thanks to Chris Korpi at Pangaea Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Koktaite
A micro of light-brown laths of koktaite (calcium ammonium sulfate monohydrate) crystals on matrix from the type locality of Zeravice, South Moravia Region, Moravia, Czech Republic. It's sometimes called ammonium-syngenite because of its relationship to syngenite (where potassium replaces the ammonium). Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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| Row 40 |
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 Konyaite
A micro of konyaite (sodium magnesium sulfate pentahydrate) from Eagle Borax Spring, Death Valley, Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. It forms as efflorescences on saline soils during a limited temperature range and almost always dehydrates to blodite (the tetrahydrate) when collected. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Krasheninnikovite
An excellent micro of colorless acicular krasheninnikovite (sodium calcium potassium magnesium fluosulfate) crystals from the type and only locality of the Second scoria cone at the North Breach of the Great Fissure eruption, at the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Kyrgyzstanite
An excellent micro of white kyrgyzstanite (a hydrated aluminum zinc hydroxysulfate) tufts on matrix from the Christiana Mine, Kamariza Mines, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 41 |
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 Langbeinite
and
Leonite
An esthetic miniature of orange translucent langbeinite (potassium magnesium sulfate) in white leonite (hydrated potassium magnesium sulfate - an alteration product) from the Carlsbad (Potash District), Eddy County, New Mexico. Thanks to Kim & Cindy Strange's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Lannonite
An excellent micro of white lannonite (a hydrated calcium aluminum magnesium fluosulfate) on matrix from the type (and only one of two) locality of the Lone Pine Mine, Wilcox District, Catron County, New Mexico. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Lawsonbauerite
A large miniature of white lawsonbauerite (a hydrated manganese zinc magnesium hydroxysulfate) with calcite and willemite from the type and only localityof the Sterling Mine, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey. Lawsonbauerite fills a fracture and a small pocket (larger image, lower right). It's the manganese analog of torreyite, where the magnesium content is higher. Thanks to Rick Dillinger's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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| Row 42 |
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 Letovicite
An excellent miniature of pearly letovicite (triammonium hydrogen disulfate) crystals on matrix from Kladno, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. It was not considered a mineral when first found (due to its anthropogenic origins) but was later found in hot springs. Synthetic letovicite is used in atmospheric physics research. Thanks to Robert Vano's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Mackayite
Mackayite's an iron hydroxyditellurite - most mineralogy guides now simply call it a mixed oxide. This micromount's from the famous Goldfield, Esmeralda County, Nevada locale. Thanks to Don Smoley's Minerals & Gems' table at the Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Melanterite,
var. Pisanite
When copper replaces some of the iron in melanterite (iron sulphate heptahydrate), it becomes pisanite (or cuprian melanterite). This beautiful miniature was collected in the mid-60s by Hatfield Goudey near Wellington, Nevada, and has the original label. It's especially rare to find such large curved crystals (larger image, center); usually pisanite (and melanterite) is a crusty coating. Thanks to Jan Garland's (Fine Rocks) auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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| Row 43 |
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 Millosevichite
Millosevichite is a rare aluminum iron sulfate that forms an incomplete series with mikasaite. This thumbnail comes from Libusin, Kladno, Bohemia, Czech
Republic. Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Nakauriite
Nakauriite is a rare hydrated manganese nickel copper hydroxycarbonatosulfate that usually occurs as compacted sky-blue fibers in a serpentine matrix, as in this miniature from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Some references only list the copper anion but the latest analyses show the manganese and nickel content to be significantly higher than the copper. Thanks to John Coolidge's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Natrojarosite
An excellent thumbnail of yellow drusy (and sphericular) natrojarosite (an iron (III) sodium hydroxysulfate) in basalt vesicles from Elba Island, Tuscany, Italy. Thanks to Sue Silver's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 44 |
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 Nickelboussingaultite
A large micro of a pale blue-green nickelboussingaultite (a hydrated nickel ammonium sulfate) crust on a cummingtonite matrix from Donik-Polskava, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia. The identity has been confirmed even though MinDat doesn't show either this locality or any Slovenian nickelboussingaultite. Some references show a trace of magnesium. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! |
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 Nickelhexahydrite
A small miniature of light-greenish-blue efflorescent nickelhexahydrite (nickel magnesium iron hexahydrate) crusts on matrix from Jáchymov, Krusné Hory Mts, Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic, (probably the Svornost Mine). It's from the Phillips Collection and has a Cureton tag. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images! |
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 Pentahydrite
A micro of light-green massive pentahydrite (magnesium sulfate pentahydrate) from the deep level of the Recsk (copper) Mine, Recsk, Mátra Mts, Heves County, Hungary in 1999. The green tint is due to copper. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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| Row 45 |
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 Peretaite
Peretaite is usually a colorless mineral (a hydrated antimony calcium hydroxysulfate) - the peretaite crystals in the vugs in this miniature from the type locality of the Pereta Mine, near Scansano, Grosetto, Tuscany, Italy are colored red by probable kermesite (larger image, bottom left). There's also tufts of white klebelsbergite and yellow valentinite present on the stibnite matrix. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen! | |
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 Pickeringite
A vein of sky-blue (even though my photo doesn't show it) fibrous pickeringite, a hydrated aluminum magnesium sulfate) in an unidentified sulfate matrix from Chuquicamata, Antofagasta, Chile. It forms a complete series with halotrichite and possibly an incomplete series with apjohnite, its manganese analog. This small cabinet specimen is from the Scott Turner Collection (Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines during the Hoover administration). Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Pickeringite,
var, Bosjemanite
A thumbnail of yellowish-tan bosjemanite (manganoan pickerite) from the Old Alum mine at Intschi, Kanton Uri, Switzerland. This may also be the same mineral as bushmanite - they both are members of the pickeringite-apjohnite series. Thanks to Claus Hedegaard's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 46 |
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 Pickeringite,
var, Kasparite
An excellent miniature of pinkish-white kasparite (or cobaltoan pickeringite) from what is considered this varietal type locality of Dubnik, Cervenica, Presov County, Presov Region, Slovakia. Ex: Michael Shannon Collection. Thanks to Patricia Pearce & Michael Shannon's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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 Picromerite
A 5cm chunk of picromerite (potassium magnesium sulfate hexahydrate) from Weber County, Utah (probably the Great Salt Lake brine flats at Great Salt Lake Minerals & Chemicals, now Compass Minerals). Picromerite is transparent when fresh but dehydrates to leonite (the tetrahydrate) over the course of time. It has a $2 David M. Crawford (Roscoe, IL) dealer tag. Thanks to Chris Stefano's Christopher J. Stefano Fine Minerals auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Plumbojarosite
Yellowish-green plumbojarosite (an iron lead hydroxysulfate) shares the matrix with chrysocolla in this miniature from the Silver Reef District of Pinal County, Arizona. It's from the Allen W. Pinger Collection (1897-1975; Assistant Geologist for Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company of Michigan; Empire Zinc Company; and Geologist for the New Jersey Zinc Company). Thanks to Thomas Bee's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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| Row 47 |
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 Ransomite with
Magnesiocopiapite
A micro box of greenish-blue ransomite (a hydrated iron copper sulfate) with pale yellow magnesiocopiapite grains on cotton from the type locality of the (now-closed) )United Verde Mine, Jerome, Yavapai County, Arizona. Ex: Phillips Collection and has an Excalibur (Dover, NJ) dealer tag). Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the images! | |
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 Römerite
An interesting large cabinet specimen of blocky reddish-brown römerite (a hydrated ferrous sulfate) with lavender coquimbite crystals (larger image, bottom left) and light blue fibrous halotrichite (larger image, bottom right) from the Dexter #7 Mine, San
Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah. Collected by Robert Stoufer in the late 1980s. Thanks to Robert Stoufer's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Rostite and
Rozenite
A white efflorescence of rostite (a hydrated aluminum fluorohydroxysulfate) with white fibrous rozenite (another hydrated ferrous sulfate) on a matrix of mostly selenite from the Cetine Mine, near Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Thanks to Tony Jones' auction on eBay for the specimen!
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| Row 48 |
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 Spiroffite
with Tellurite
A micromount of pink spiroffite (a manganese zinc tellurite) coated with light yellow tellurite (tellurium oxide) from the type locality of the Moctezuma Mine, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Thanks to Tom & Vicki Loomis at Dakota Matrix Minerals for the specimen and the image! |
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 Sturmanite
A cute little cluster of sturmanites (a hydrated calcium iron aluminum manganese sulfate tetrahydroxoborate hydroxide) from the N'Chwaning II Mine, Kuruman, Northern Cape, Republic of South Africa. Sturmanite was named in 1983 - all the specimens I have date from that mine's 1983 - 85 heyday. Thanks to Graeber & Himes's table at the 2000 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Sturmanite
This small cabinet of sturmanite and manganite on matrix is also from the N'Chwaning II Mine. Thanks to Steiner's Rockshop auction on eBay for the specimen and images! |
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| Row 49 |
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 Sturmanite
A large thumbnail of a double-terminated etched sturmanite crystal from the N'Chwaning II Mine. Thanks to Debbie Woolf at Steiner's Rockshop's auction on eBay for the specimen and images! |
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 Sturmanite
A odd thumbnail cluster of sturmanite crystals, again from the N'Chwaning II Mine - these appear to have a waxy, almost opaque coating. Thanks to Charles Creekmur's auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Sturmanite
This miniature of brown sturmanite crystals on a manganite matrix, even though it's from the N'Chwaning II Mine, looks completely different! The backside has a few transparent yellow sturmanite crystals (larger image, top right) as well. A very unusual specimen! Thanks to Debbie Woolf at Steiner's Rockshop's auction on eBay for the specimen and images! |
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| Row 50 |
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 Svanbergite
This miniature of rose svanbergite (a strontium aluminum hydroxyphosphatosulfate) on matrix is from the Västanĺ Iron Mine, Näsum, Bromölla, Skĺne, Sweden. Some references classify this with the phosphates - it's the stronium analog of woodhouseite and forms an incomplete series with lead-bearing hinsdalite. The larger image shows (bottom left) probable calcite with strong color zoning and (bottom right) an unidentified fibrous mineral. It's from the Harry Uhl Collection (acquired in the 1960s). Thanks to Jennings "Beau" Gordon's (Jendon Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen! |
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 Thenardite
An excellent miniature of sharp gray-green heavily-included thenardite (anhydrous sodium sulfate) crystals from Soda Lake, San Luis Obispo County, California. Thenardite's water-soluble (gradually changing to mirabilite, sodium sulfate decahydrate) so I'll have to keep this one in a sealed container. Thanks to Don Smoley's Minerals & Gems' table at the 2004 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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 Tschermigite
Naturally-occuring tschermigite (ammonium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate or ammonium alum) is NOT this color - this pretty miniature is from a lab in Ekaterinaberg, Russia. Thanks to the Fersman Mineralogical Institute's table at the 2004 Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show for the specimen! |
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| Row 51 |
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 Wilcoxite
White deposits of wilcoxite (a hydrated aluminum magnesium fluosulfate) on a tan matrix comprise this miniature from Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico. It's a member of the aubertite group and will dissolve in cold water, so I'm keeping it cool, dark, and dry! Thanks to Tony Nikischer at the Excalibur Mineral Company for the specimen! |
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 Woodhouseite
Woodhouseite is a rare calcium aluminum hydroxyphosphatosulfate that is almost exclusively from a single location (4 miles WSW) of the Champion andalusite mine on the western slopes of the White Mountain Peak north of Laws, Mono County, California. It forms pseudocubic diagonally-striated (larger image, top right) crystals. This miniature also has a quartz matrix with tiny rutile starbursts (larger image, bottom left) and sapphire (larger image, bottom right). The sapphire at this locale is colored blue only by titanium and not by the more common iron-titanium mix elsewhere. It's the calcium analog of svanbergite and is named after Charles Douglas Woodhouse, collector, professor at UCSB, and founder of the California Federation of Mineral Societies. Thanks to Steve & Susan Bringe at Summit Minerals for the specimen! |
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 Wupatkiite
A beautiful small miniature of light-pink wupatkiite (a hydrated aluminum cobalt magnesium nickel sulfate) acicular aggregates from the Lorena Gold Mine in Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia. The cobalt gives it its color. It can be considered an aluminum cobalt pseudoalum and is a member of the halotrichite group. Thanks to Darrel Merke's (Proton Minerals) auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! | |
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| Row 52 |
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 Yavapaiite
Pale lavender crystals of yavapaiite (potassium iron sulfate) on matrix comprise this micro from the Grotta dell'Allume, Porto Levante, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy. It has a tag from Italo Campostrini. Thanks to Paolo Bracci's auction on eBay for the specimen and the image! |
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 Yecoraite &
Tetradymite
A nice micro of yecoraite (a hydrated bismuth iron metatellurate tellurite oxide) coatings on tetradymite and quartzite from the type locality of the Mun. de Yécora, Sonora, Mexico. Yecoraite is formed by oxidation of tetradymite and pyrite. Most tellurate minerals are very rare as the tellurate anion is usually completely reduced to the tellurite (or even to tellurium itself). Also, as of 2008, the exact structure of yecoraite is unknown. Thanks to Csanad Loranth's auction on eBay for the specimen and the images! | |
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