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PAS-170 - Jarosite - SOLD Huanuni mine, Huanuni, Dalence Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia small cabinet, 8.6 x 6.4 x 4.1 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This rich piece has protected vugs all over it with sharp , lustrous crystals of jarosite. One of two extremely rare specimens of jarosite, a complex iron sulfate, from the world's richest cassiterite-mining deposit. This is one of two specimens apparently found together and retrieved during (going by the number system) the 3rd or 4th Vaux expedition to Bolivia in the late 1930s. Comes with a color copy of the one original label which came with both pieces, from the Vaux collection at the Academy.
PAS-171 - Whitlockite - AUS$231 SOLD Palermo Mines, Groton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire cabinet, 10.9 x 8.8 x 7.8 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
On this large pocket piece of quartz crystals are tiny whitlockites, very gemmy xls to 2mm that look like albite for size and shape...that is why the label says "albite" with a "?". They are miniscule albites, but are very significant, actually, for euhedral whitlockite crystals , particularly for this locality.
PAS-172 - Margarite - AUS$2319 Chester Emery Mines, Chester, Hampden Co., Massachusetts cabinet, 13.9 x 12.0 x 8.9 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This remarkable specimen features a LARGE display face the size of a big grapefruit covered with upright, platy crystals of margarite. It is extremely RARE for margarite to crystallize anyways and 99% of all margarite from there is massive xline material. Margarite is typically found in either masses of platy crystals, intergrown, or what is typical for the location, veins or veinlets. In general, the thicker the better at this location,with some of the thicker veins of margarite reaching an inch or two, and maintaining a pink color. This one is atypical, since the margarite looks to have formed along a slip face, allowing the 3D growth; the one here is thus a little unusual based on other historic specimens from this locality in East Coast collections (per Jim Chenard, pers. comm.). It also has some diaspore and rutile in association.
PAS-173 - Narsarsukite - AUS$115 Whitlash, Liberty Co., Montana small cabinet, 5.6 x 5.4 x 5.1 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
An interesting locality reference specimen of massive embedded bits in matrix, of this rare species.
PAS-174 - Tinticite - AUS$2899 SOLD Unnamed cave near the mine, Tintic Standard Mine, East Tintic Mts, Utah Co., Utah (TYPE LOCALITY) cabinet, 12.9 x 8.4 x 7.2 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
Tinticite is an extremely rare iron phosphate, found in only a few spots. Although microcrystalline here, the covering on the matirx is very rich and there is probably more inside - I should probably break it into 50 specimens to sell for thumbnail reference samples to the rarities colelctors, in fact. However, we'll leave it together first (though i think more money can be made by trimming and selling/trading off bits).
PAS-178 - Chalcanthite with COPPER replacing Wood - AUS$1739 Rambler Mine, New Rambler District, Albany Co., Wyoming large cabinet, 22.7 x 13.4 x 11.4 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
The Rambler mine was in its heyday by 1900 or so, and continued for a number of years afterwards to dominate copper production in this region. This particular specimen is the only Chalcanthite of any kind that I have personally seen from the state (and this is the only listed locality likely to have produced such a piece, although the label accompanying just says "chalcanthite - wyoming - natural"). The specimen carries an old label from dealer Gary Hansen. Could it be formed from mine run-off? It DOES have the look of deposition from flowing solution, but this could have formed naturally, as the label says, during flow of water through the mine, completely unrelated to human mining. As with another musuem chalcanthite of large size in this collection, I am disinclined to think these to be manmade fakes - something I would be very suspicious of today from contemporary mining locations. So, which is it? The giveaway is the presence of COPPER-REPLACED wood, embedded in the chalcanthite at the bottom and rear of the specimen. No kidding, if you knock on it with a key or finger, the slender wood timber clinks like metal. The replacement is not 100% complete, as the wood is still somewhat malleable/bendable, but it is far enough along that you can say the copper has replaced much of the wood. So , we have a naturally formed example of chalcanthite, not made on a lab table - but formed postmining from the runoff of the copper-laden waters running over old mine timbers. In any case, it is a huge, beautiful, breathtakingly colorful display specimen!
PAS-179 - Datolite - AUS$1391 SOLD Isle Royale National Park, Lake Superior, Keweenaw Co., Michigan cabinet, 13.9 x 9.4 x 5.5 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This is from a National Park and no collecting is allowed TODAY, making it probably one of the few pieces out there in private hands. This is 1069 grams (2.4 pounds or so) of solid, carving-quality material of classic pearl-white datolite from upper Michigan. I have not seen such big chunks around, from other mines I am more familiar with. One imagines most of it was carved or ground up for industrial use. From the noted Clarence S. Bement (1843-1923) Collection. Given the early accession number, and the future fate of his collection going to the AMNH in the 1900s, this was certainly obtained from him personally before his death and the purchase (followed by donation elsewhere) of the rest of his collection by financier JP Morgan. NOTE THIS IS A HANDWRITTEN LABEL IN BEMENT'S OWN HAND (as compared to labels shown in the Mineralogical Record label archive: click here
PAS-180 - Antimony - AUS$695 SOLD Lac Nicolet mine, South Ham, Wolfe Co., Québec, Canada small cabinet, 8.3 x 5.6 x 4.9 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This is a significant locality specimen from the early days of an important antimony mine started in the late 1860's. Although it was re-opened in 1940 and later produced some fabulous crystallized antimony in larger sized crystals, this would have been of some significance for the original era of mining there, and remains so now for historic reasons and overall size of the specimen as well. One face has intricate patterning of richly crystallized antimony, in crystals to several mm in size. It is from the noted collection of William Drown, whom according to the Mineralogical Record Archive on him was an umbrella manufacturer who used his fortune to amass a collection of some 6000 mineral specimens. His collection was kept by his family for a generation after his death and then donated in 1918.
PAS-181 - Phlogopite - AUS$579 Burgess, Ontario, Canada cabinet, 22.5 x 13.8 x 3.3 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This hefty , sharp "mica book" is a cleavage portion of a larger original crystal, preserving the outer faces but (as with all such) showing faces on the front and back that are cleaved. It weighs 2.6 pounds! From the noted Clarence S. Bement (1843-1923) Collection. Given the early accession number, and the future fate of his collection going to the AMNH in the 1900s, this was certainly obtained from him personally before his death and the purchase (followed by donation elsewhere) of the rest of his collection by financier JP Morgan.
PAS-182a - Erythrite, Asbolite on Cobaltite Ore - AUS$1101 La Blanco Mine (Blanca Mine), Freirina, Huasco Province, Atacama Region, Chile cabinet, 15.0 x 13.0 x 7.0 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
A beautiful, large matrix specimen with a huge display face covered by sharp, metallic, acicular erythrite crystals. The matrix is HEAVY cobaltite-rich matrix, solid ore, several kilos. According to MINDAT: La Blanco is a small Co-Cu deposit close to the town of Freirina; mined on a small scale in the 19th century (Ref.: Maurizio Dini). It is the most likely source for this specimen because the original museum label (as big as the specimen in real life, so it could sit atop!) gives "San Juan, Chili" as the locality, and because that label also states the presence of "Asbolite." Asbolite is a now-discredited name for a "cobaltian wad" of interlocking acicular erythrite crystals. According to MINDAT, this is the only documented old locality which produced both erythrite and "asbolite." This specimen was given by the eminent researcher in the area, Dr. Domeyko, who sent many study samples to the Academy during its heyday. NOTE THAT BOTH PAS-182A AND PAS-182B WERE NUMBERED 5220 IN THE SAME HAND, AT THE SAME TIME, indicating a common origin of the two specimens, though there is only one label. One assumes pieces were broken off for study on arrival at the museum. 5220 is a VERY early museum number dating to the late 1800s.
PAS-182b - Erythrite, Asbolite and Cobaltite - AUS$144 La Blanco Mine (Blanca Mine), Freirina, Huasco Province, Atacama Region, Chile miniature, 4.3 x 2.8 x 2.8 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
A miniature-sized specimen with 2 rich areas (one on the side) covered by sharp, metallic, acicular erythrite crystals. According to MINDAT: La Blanco is a small Co-Cu deposit close to the town of Freirina; mined on a small scale in the 19th century (Ref.: Maurizio Dini). It is the most likely source for this specimen because the original museum label (this piece will come with a photocopy of the one belonging to PAS-182a) gives "San Juan, Chili" as the locality, and because that label also states the presence of "Asbolite." Asbolite is a now-discredited name for a "cobaltian wad" of interlocking acicular erythrite crystals. According to MINDAT, this is the only documented old locality which produced both erythrite and "asbolite." This specimen was given by the eminent researcher in the area, Dr. Domeyko, who sent many study samples to the Academy during its heyday. NOTE THAT BOTH PAS-182A AND PAS-182B WERE NUMBERED 5220 IN THE SAME HAND, AT THE SAME TIME, indicating a common origin of the two specimens, though there is only one label. One assumes pieces were broken off for study on arrival at the museum. 5220 is a VERY early museum number dating to the late 1800s .
PAS-186 - Tenorite - $ (DONATED) - SOLD Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County, Michigan large cabinet, 26.3 x 23.9 x 6.0 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
A massive, basketball-sized hemisphere of heavy metallic Michigan minralization...I have not ever seen quite the like of it before. Courtesy of Dr. George Robinson at the Seaman Museum : The specimen appears to be tenorite, probably from Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County (melaconite is an old name for tenorite). The only other possibility would be from the Algomah mine in Ontonagon Co., but the Copper Harbor material was found as glacial float and is typically rounded over like the piece you describe here. Both locations have minor chrysocolla and malachite associated. The "with paramelaconite?" on the label, however, is a little confusing, since that was known only from the Algomah mine, but as small black pseudomorphic xls on fracture surfaces of angular rock matrices rendered so from the mining process.We have smaller pieces from each occurrence in the collection, but nothing as large as the one in your picture!. Well , they do now...proudly donated to the Seaman Museum.
PAS-187 - Chrysocolla in Tyrolite with Clinotyrolite - AUS$1739 San Simon Mine, Huantajaya, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile cabinet, 14.1 x 8.0 x 7.8 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
These specimens (PAS-187 to PAS-189) were presented to the academy by the famed Dr. Domeyko in the late 1800s, who did much work on the rare minerals of Chile and Argentina. Regardless of the chemistry, the specimen has merit as a display piece of beautiful copper combinations from Chile. This piece has beautiful, powder-blue chrysocolla forming as stalactitic growths and as a thin carpet in the few hollow vugs inside a literal boulder of nearly solid tyrolite! On analysis by modern equipment, the matrix material shows to be tyrolite, clinotyrolite, and possibly other related species admixed (XRAY and powder, Bart Cannon's lab, 2008), However, apparently the official mineralogy of tyrolite classification is confusing and has changed over time. Clinotyrolite is often considered a species by many people, though without IMA approval. I quote MINDAT's page on the matter verbatim to make sure I do not mistakenly convey the science: Since it is well-known that also carbonate-free varieties of tyrolite exist, "tyrolite" may actually represent two or more minerals/polytypes. At least two monoclinic polytypes of tyrolite are known (Krivovichev et al., 2006); one of them seems to be identical to "clinotyrolite". . Note that this is the first report of the locality to MINDAT for tyrolite occurence, but it is likely that this rare species is present on other old specimens of "chrysocolla" from Chile.
PAS-188 - Chrysocolla in Tyrolite with Clinotyrolite - AUS$463 San Simon Mine, Huantajaya, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile miniature, 4.0 x 2.6 x 2.6 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
These specimens (PAS-187 to PAS-189) were presented to the academy by the famed Dr. Domeyko in the late 1800s, who did much work on the rare minerals of Chile and Argentina. Regardless of the chemistry, the specimen has merit as a display piece of beautiful copper combinations from Chile. This piece has beautiful, powder-blue chrysocolla forming as a thin carpet in the few hollow vugs within nearly solid tyrolite! It is a beautiful miniature, trimmed by me from specimen PAS-187 above. On analysis by modern equipment, the matrix material shows to be tyrolite, clinotyrolite, and possibly other related species admixed (XRAY and powder, Bart Cannon's lab, 2008), However, apparently the official mineralogy of tyrolite classification is confusing and has changed over time. Clinotyrolite is often considered a species by many people, though without IMA approval. I quote MINDAT's page on the matter verbatim to make sure I do not mistakenly convey the science: Since it is well-known that also carbonate-free varieties of tyrolite exist, "tyrolite" may actually represent two or more minerals/polytypes. At least two monoclinic polytypes of tyrolite are known (Krivovichev et al., 2006); one of them seems to be identical to "clinotyrolite". . Note that this is the first report of the locality to MINDAT for tyrolite occurence, but it is likely that this rare species is present on other old specimens of "chrysocolla" from Chile.
PAS-189 - Chrysocolla in Tyrolite with Clinotyrolite - AUS$1449 San Simon Mine, Huantajaya, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile cabinet, 15.1 x 9.9 x 7.0 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
These specimens (PAS-187 to PAS-189) were presented to the academy by the famed Dr. Domeyko in the late 1800s, who did much work on the rare minerals of Chile and Argentina. Regardless of the chemistry, the specimen has merit as a display piece of beautiful copper combinations from Chile. This piece has beautiful, powder-blue chrysocolla forming as a thin carpet in the few hollow vugs inside a literal boulder of nearly solid tyrolite! It is cheaper than the PAS-187 specimen only because the chrysocolla is not as well developed for display quality aesthetics - and yet the tyrolite and other rare minerals here are if anything in greater concentration by weight. On analysis by modern equipment, the matrix material shows to be tyrolite, clinotyrolite, and possibly other related species admixed (XRAY and powder, Bart Cannon's lab, 2008), However, apparently the official mineralogy of tyrolite classification is confusing and has changed over time. Clinotyrolite is often considered a species by many people, though without IMA approval. I quote MINDAT's page on the matter verbatim to make sure I do not mistakenly convey the science: Since it is well-known that also carbonate-free varieties of tyrolite exist, "tyrolite" may actually represent two or more minerals/polytypes. At least two monoclinic polytypes of tyrolite are known (Krivovichev et al., 2006); one of them seems to be identical to "clinotyrolite". Note that this is the first report of the locality to MINDAT for tyrolite occurence, but it is likely that this rare species is present on other old specimens of "chrysocolla" from Chile.
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