post-Denver show Mineral Update#1 new worldwide mineral specimens New Finds & Old classics!

post-Denver show Mineral Update#1
new worldwide mineral specimens
New Finds & Old classics!

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DEN12-34 - Wittichenite - $ 3000
Cattle Grid pit, Mt. Gunson Mine, Pernatty Lagoon, South Australia
thumbnail, 1.5 x 1.3 x 0.7 cm

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A significant specimen of a very rare copper bismuth sulfide: this is a sharp thumbnail crystal which was collected over 30 years ago from this now-defunct copper and bismuth mine. It has great form, and a very interesting luster with hints of iridescence. These are the finest known examples of the species by several orders of magnitudes. Reportedly, and an article in the Mineralogical Record will provide the full story some time next year, a mine geologist kept 30 crystals as samples found when the mine was working in the early 1980s. All others, including much other material of other species, went to the crushers and was smelted. Nowhere in the world have such large and sharp crystals of this magnitude been found before or since.

DEN12-33 - Fluorite - $ 1500
Okorusu Mine, Otjiwarongo District, Otjozondjupa, Namibia
small cabinet, 6.0 x 4.9 x 4.3 cm

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ex. Marshall Sussman

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From the Sussman fluorite collection, which was sold off in around 2002, this is a very sharp and old example from the locality, quite different in appearance from recent finds here. The face modifications and phantoms, combined with the color saturation, make it special and aesthetic compared to so many of the flat plates we see from the mining zone today. Better in person!

DEN12-32 - Sabugalite on Autunite - $ 850
Margnac Mine, Compreignac, Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France
miniature, 3.3 x 2.8 x 2.8 cm

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An extremely rare uranium phosphate, with crystals completely covering a knoll of matrix (partly autunite). This is very rich and colorful, and I believe is quite good for the locality. I have seen only a few sabugalites from Brazil and France before, of which this is the richest I have personally handled.

DEN12-31 - Uranocircite - $ 1800
Sao Pedro Mine, Saucui, Malacacheta District, Teofilo Ontoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil
miniature, 4.9 x 3.2 x 2.4 cm

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This has to be one of the hands-down , most gorgeous examples for the species I have ever seen. It is a stunning full miniature when displayed with a slight tilt back for best view, with several dramatic clusters of vivid neon-yellow/green crystals arranged upon a knob of matrix. The piece is good from ALL SIDES, and is complete 360 degrees. You could not ask for better in this size range, I think. Although one of the more common radioactives per se on a worldwide basis, this locale is acknowledged to have produced the best of them in terms of style and crystal quality. This is older material, collected in the 1970s or early 1980s, I am told. I have seen only a handful in my 25 years in the business, of quality, turn up for sale.

DEN12-29 - Vanadinite var. Endlichite - $ 145
Los Lamentos, Chihuahua, Mexico
miniature, 3.6 x 2.6 x 2.2 cm

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A sharp specimen of the rare arsenian-rich varietal of vanadinite once known as the species in its own right, endlichite. This is aesthetic, and dramatic, with curving and elegant crystals to an inch. Old material! Ex. Jim White collection

DEN12-26 - Veszelyite (huge crystal) - $ 2500
Black Pine Mine, Phillipsburg, Montana
thumbnail, 1.9 x 1.4 x 1.2 cm

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I was stunned when this turned up in an old collection. My first thought was that this had to be an azurite until I looked closer. The crystal is HUGE for the species, a compound crystal that is fat and thick and nearly 2 cm across. It is pristine and undamaged. I have not cleaned it because I believe the powdery coating is another mineral species, phillipsburgite, and teh slight contrast is visually appealing. This is a major, major crystal for the locality and a large thumbnail of impact and significance, good for any top rarities or thumbnail collection.

DEN12-25 - Sphene var. Titanite (twinned) - $ 1500
Capelinha, Minas Gerais, Brazil
thumbnail, 2.9 x 2.5 x 1.4 cm

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A large thumbnail featuring a MATRIX , GEM sphene, well-twinned and with excellent color. In person, the color is slightly more dark than shown here, but like many titanites it shifts color saturation in response to different lighting and will be a little bit more green or yellow depending on the light shown. This superb thumbnail is competition-class. It is complete all around, and unusually gemmy. Most of these that are gemmy are simply thin, and so are easily see through. This, however, is robust and thickly 3-dimensional (approx 1 cm thick at the base). It is perched on just the right amount of matrix to display and set it up, while remainign a large thumbnail. I cannot recall even seeing such a nice example of this classic gem species from Brazil, on matrix, as a thumbnail. Most are simply big and clunky. This is most likely from the older finds here (pre-1970s). ex Jim White collection

DEN12-24 - Ernstite ps. Childrenite - $ 175
Boa Esperanca Mine, Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet, 6.0 x 2.9 x 2.0 cm

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This is an unusually aesthetic cluster of this rare pseudomorph. In contrast to some of the more modern examples, it has an attractive look to it, and a micaceous luster that these do not typically posess. ex. Jim White collection

DEN12-23 - Ernstite ps. Childrenite - $ 275
Boa Esperanca Mine, Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
miniature, 5.4 x 3.4 x 1.8 cm

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This is an unusually robust example of this rare pseudomorph, that for some peculiar reason actually occurred in abundance at this one locality in several pockets over the years. The crystal is large, sharp, and complete all around.In contrast to some of the more modern examples, it has an attractive look to it, earthy brown but with style. It is associated with some micro black species, as well. ex. Jim White collection

DEN12-22 - Descloizite ps. Vanadinite - $ 750
Abenab Mine, Grootfontein, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
miniature, 3.9 x 2.7 x 2.6 cm

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ex. Edward Swoboda

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A really neat and unusual pseudomorph from the famous , historic, Abenab Mine of Namibia . These are SHARP descloizite pseudomorphs after vanadinite crystals showing the sharpest and most pristine preservation of a vanadiite from this locale I have seen for sale. It is an old piece, and was in the famous Ed Swoboda pseudomorph collection (sold in the mid 1990s). It is sharp and complete all around. it is brown, but a pretty-brown with sparkle, and not an ugly dull brown as these are so usually (well, when they DO turn up at all!). A very showy and excellent pseudo from a long-closed mine.

DEN12-21 - Creedite - $ 350
Akchatau Mine, Qaraghandy Oblysy (Karaganda Oblast), Kazakhstan
miniature, 3.2 x 2.3 x 1.9 cm

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An excellent, radiating cluster of gemmy and lustrous, purple creedite crystals to 1.9 cm on matrix, from the 1980 find at the Aqshatau Mine of Kazakhstan. Creedite is a rare complex aluminum salt. The purple crystals from here are classic and rare, having been found long ago, and are MUCH more rare than similar crystals from Mexico. This has a glassy brightness to it and is a superb large thumbnail or small miniature specimen ex. Jim White Collection

DEN12-19 - Smithsonite - $ 200
Kelly Mine, Magdalena, Socorro County, New Mexico
thumbnail, 2.7 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm

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Unusual for the crystal habit, this fine thumbnail features so-called "rice-grain" crystals of smithsonite instead of the usual botryoidal material from this locale. It is a fine, aesthetic, complete thumbnail , and well illustrates a rare habit for Kelly Mine smithsonite.

DEN12-17 - Libethenite - $ 1500
Rokana Mine, Kitwe, Copperbelt Province, Zambia
thumbnail, 2.1 x 1.9 x 1.2 cm

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A HUGE single crystal for the species, showing incredible luster and a deep green saturated color. I have seen many of these over the years, the best purportedly brought out mostly by one mine geologist in the 1960s as I have been told (and see Min Record vol 9 #6, page 341 - 1978), but this thubmnail stands out to me as one of the finest examples I have seen for both the size of the crystal and its sharpness...but most importantly for the luster. With the total "package" of thos equalities, most people would guess at this for a primary malachite crystal, I think. But it is a shockingly large, complete, and beautiful libethenite from this, which is considered to have produced the best known crystals of the species. The crystal is a world class thumbnail specimen, complete all around and contacted, not broken, on the bottom From the collection of EJ Immelman.

DEN12-16 - Hopeite - $ 175
Kabwe Mine (Broken Hill Mine), Kabwe, Central Province, Zambia
thumbnail, 2.1 x 1.8 x 1.6 cm

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Sharp crystals to 1 cm, showing unusual 3-dimensional form and quality, for this rare mineral species.

DEN12-15 - Cinnabar - $ 450
Fenghuang Mine, Hunan Province, China
miniature, 2.9 x 2.9 x 2.5 cm

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Classic China cinnabars that started to come out in the early 1980s were these dark, sharply twinned crystals on nice quartz matrix. We paid prices at the time as if they were gold, when they first hit the Western market! New finds at new Chinese locales produce a different style�and this remains the classic, for most of us. The large central crystal is pristine except for teh tiniest of minute dings if you look with a loupe, although some small crystals below have minor damage. This attractive small miniature features a sharp twinned crystal to 2.7 cm. It could be considered a toenail or "boxbuster" sized thumbnail.

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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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