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PAS-105– Paravauxite - $1250 Siglo Veinte Mine (Siglo XX Mine; Llallagua Mine), Llallagua, Potosí Department, Bolivia (TYPE LOCALITY) CABINET, 11.2 x 10.3 x 3.4 cm
A rich plate with DOZENS of sharp, translucent, beautiful crystals running all over it, to 1.2 cm in length; and many of which are doubly-terminated. A vein of some white phosphate material runs through the middle. Despite its size, this plate, and the hundred-plus crystals on it, are largely unscathed. The piece is quite displayworthy and comes with a nice original label. Almost certainly this was field-collected on one of the famous Vaux expeditions in the early 1900s. TYPE LOCALITY MATERIAL: Paravauxite was described in 1922 and so it is not a huge leap of faith to assume this specimen and others in the Academy collections came from some of the same sources at the same time as the type study material.
PAS-106– Paravauxite - $900 Siglo Veinte Mine (Siglo XX Mine; Llallagua Mine), Llallagua, Potosí Department, Bolivia (TYPE LOCALITY) CABINET, 16.6 x 11.0 x 2.6 cm
A rich plate with DOZENS of sharp, translucent, beautiful crystals running all over it, to 1.2 cm in length; and many of which are doubly-terminated. A vein of some white phosphate material runs through the middle. Despite its size, this plate, and the crystals on it, are largely unscathed. The piece is quite displayworthy and comes with a nice original label. Almost certainly this was field-collected on one of the famous Vaux expeditions in the early 1900s. TYPE LOCALITY MATERIAL: Paravauxite was described in 1922.
PAS-107– Paralaurionite - $100 (SOLD) Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile miniature, 5.2 x 4.3 x 2.9 cm
Here we have sharp gray sub-mm crystals of this rare lead species inside a vug, seemingly perched on another mineral (anglesite?).
PAS-108– Bromargyrite ps. after Silver - $400 (SOLD) Chanarcillo, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile Miniature, 5.2 x 4.5 x 2.3 cm
Unusual "ropey" crystals of Bromargyrite nestled in a specimen that itself has not the shape of random matrix to it...all suggesting this is a solid piece of pure Bromargyrite pseudomorph after silver - quite in line with the locality, but an unusual occurrence nonetheless. From the collection of notable museum supporter William Sansom Vaux.
PAS-109– Chalcomenite - $450 (SOLD) Pakajake Canyon (Pacajake Canyon), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia miniature, 4.3 x 3.1 x 2.4cm
A SUPERB, incredibly blue, glassy, transparent gem crystal of the rare copper selenide chalcomenite, 3mm across, in a protected vug! Although mixed in with the other Bolivian pieces we obtained as a large lot, this piece had no label and so we assume (from both dating of the finds and of the specimen numbering 19005) that it is from the older of the two noted localities for chalcomenite crystals from Bolivia, as listed on MINDAT. Other minerals are present here so with careful study, I am sure the precise locality guess I made can be confirmed. Additionally, Terry Szenics tells me these came out of one vein in this mine in the 1930s...
PAS-111– Bromargyrite - $600 (SOLD) Chanarcillo, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile SMALL CABINET, 6.0 x 4.3 x 3.1 cm
A rounded, robust, thick growth of the silver halide bromargyrite, from this classic silver mine which was intensely worked in the late 1800s. A bromargyrite from here of such richness is highly uncommon! And it is somewhat aesthetic.
PAS-112– Cobaltite - $150 Espanola, Ontario, Canada tumbnail, 1.5 x 1.1 x 1.1 cm
A shockingly large crystal for this locality, from which cobaltite in crystalline form is already rare. Complete on all faces, except a small contact near the base and another in back. Unlike other material here, this was from a modern-day donation.
PAS-113– Nantokite - $300 (SOLD) Carmen Bajo Mine, Nantoko, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile (TYPE LOCALITY) Miniature, 5.2 x 4.3 x 2.3 cm
A VERY rare example of a mineral I had not heard of until now, Copper Chloride pure and simple : CuCl. This is according to MINDAT a rare anhydrous copper chloride, known only from arid environments in its natural form. The description goes on to say that it is "Colourless and transparent when fresh. Unstable in humid air, and transforms slowly into greenish secondary Cu-hydroxchlorides" which overlay the natokite now, on its surface. However the crystal cores should remain nantokite, and there should also be material inside this rather large study specimen. From the type locality!
PAS-110– Percylite - $300 (SOLD) Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile SMALL CABINET, 6.4 x 5.1 x 3.4 cm
A beautiful specimen of this rare mineral combination: apparently a strange admixture of Boleite & Pseudoboleite that is probably soon to be disallowed as a species name. Still, highly unusual, and with a color all its own.
PAS-114– Percylite and Schwartzembergite, and Atacamite - $300 (SOLD) Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile SMALL CABINET, 7.6 x 4.7 x 3.1 cm
A beautiful specimen of this rare mineral combination: apparently a strange admixture of Boleite & Pseudoboleite that is probably soon to be disallowed as a species name. Still, highly unusual, and with a color all its own. To be frank, I haven't confirmed the presence of Schwartzembergite which is supposed to be a minute red stain...but I am pricing this, thus, as simply an attractive percylite and if you can find the Schwartzembergite, that is a bonus.
PAS-115a – Shortite - $900 Green River Formation, Sweetwater Co., Wyoming (TYPE LOCALITY) SMALL CABINET, 7.5 x 6.5 x 3 cm
And you thought the Green River sandstone beds only produced fish and palm fossils, eh? Well, I did. I personally never realized that the TYPE LOCALITY for this rare sodium/calcium carbonate was in Wyoming, before now. This specimen is exceptionally rich with gemmy shortite crystals embedded in the sandstone, to 1 cm in size. This is rather large for the species , and for specimens from this locality if what i see on MINDAT is any indication. This specimen is one of two, which fit together and are thus descended from the same sample. It comes with the original label.
PAS-115b – Shortite - $750 Green River Formation, Sweetwater Co., Wyoming (TYPE LOCALITY) SMALL CABINET, 7 x 6 x 4 cm
And you thought the Green River sandstone beds only produced fish and palm fossils, eh? Well, I did. I personally never realized that the TYPE LOCALITY for this rare sodium/calcium carbonate was in Wyoming, before now. This specimen is exceptionally rich with gemmy shortite crystals embedded in the sandstone, to 1 cm in size. This is rather large for the species , and for specimens from this locality if what i see on MINDAT is any indication. This specimen is one of two, which fit together and are thus descended from the same sample. It will come with a photocopy of the original label that came with both.
PAS-92– Phlogopite - $1250 Bancroft, Ontario, Canada CABINET, 34.7 x 26.3 x 1.6 cm
A HUGE cleavage section of mica variety phlogopite, from Ontario. These are old classics, and everybody knows they came out once upon a time but seldom do you see one so big and pure and fine. This is the kind of clean muscovite plates that could have been used for mica windows and lampshades in the old days. It is impressive mineralogically and historically. Weight is 4.6 pounds!
PAS-116– Phlogopite - $1500 Bancroft, Ontario, Canada CABINET, 35 x 25 x 1.7 cm
A HUGE cleavage section of mica variety phlogopite, from Ontario. These are old classics, and everybody knows they came out once upon a time but seldom do you see one so big and pure and fine. This is the kind of clean muscovite plates that could have been used for mica windows and lampshades in the old days. It is impressive mineralogically and historically. Weight is 4.9 pounds!
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