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Robert Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com


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Oranje River Prehnite from the NChwaning Mine

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K215 - Prehnite (rare orange color) with Inesite - $1450 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 4.5 x 3.8 x 2.3 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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One of the finest miniatures from a small find of several years ago. Richly covered with brilliant, fiery orange crystals accented by little red inesites and sparkling little apophyllite crystals! This is a sparkly and dazzling specimen, and just a damned good prehnite in general.



K230 - Inesite on Orange Prehnite - $1850 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.1 x 3.5 x 2.8 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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This highly unusual specimen is neither an inesite from Wessels nor a prehnite per se, from the small NChwaning find a few years back; but rather a very unusual piece from that pocket of rich red INESITE on the orange prehnite. Inesite wasn't common in this find, certainly not in richly covered specimens like this. It also happens to be a VERY beautiful and aesthetic miniature inesite, not just a locality piece, as well. On the back, additionally, is a beautiful prehnite display face. REMEMBER THIS IS A NCHWANING INESITE, A NEW CREATURE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THE WESSELS MATERIAL!



K231 - Inesite on Calcite with Orange Prehnite - $275 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.1 x 4.5 x 1.6 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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Another unique specimen from this famous pocket , with inesite in isolated crystals to 1 cm (unusual!) , mixed with small, sharp orange prehnites, perched atop a gemmy and lustrous calcite rhombohedron! I have not seen another like it.



K239 - Orange Prehnite on Calcite - $1250
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.1 x 3.7 x 2.0 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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Another extremely unusual piece from this pocket, which Charlie got much of back when it was found. This specimen features brilliant, fiery orange , sparkling prehnites atop a gemmy calcite rhombohedron! It is EXQUISITE and beautiful!



K240 - Orange Prehnite with Xonotlite - $750 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 4.7 x 3.6 x 3.4 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A beautiful inesite miniature with rich red-orange Prehnite highlighted by stark white xonotlite balls. Complete all around and very 3-dimensional! NOT an inesite, though its easy to be fooled!



K250 - Orange Prehnite - $1850
NChwaning Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
small cabinet, 6.3 x 5.0 x 3.2 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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Charlie REALLY liked this orange prehnite pocket and this is one of many he kept back when selling them years ago. It is the largest consistently covered plate in the lot, and has deep color a little more red than orengey even, and lustre as well.



KCPR-27 - Orange Prehnite - $165 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 3.5 x 2.7 x 2.7 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A furry-looking miniature of fine orange crystals with a few gemmy apophyllites for accent! The matrix is mostly a soft xonotlite.



KCPR-28 - Prehnite - $300 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 3.5 x 2.6 x 2.5 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A red-orange prehnite cluster composed of very fine, tapered, pseudo-acicular crystals jus tleaping off a natural pedestal of xonotlite matrix. In person this has a slightly more orange tint. However, I admit it coul dbe mistaken for inesite from Wessels. It IS prehnite, though...that is what is so interesting about this find!



KCPR-29 - Orange Prehnite - $275
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 4.0 x 3.0 x 2.3 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A rich curving shell of orange prehnite crystals covers most of this matrix. Like the above, it could easily be mistaken for inesite from another mine!



KCPR-30 - Orange Prehnite with Calcite - $95 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 3.7 x 2.8 x 2.1 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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iNCREDIBLE QUALITY, gemmy , ELONGATE CRYSTALS...SMALL CLUSTER HERE, BUT JUST SUPERB QUALITY AND OUTSTANDING FOR THE REFERENCE OR SPECIES COLLECTOR WHO WANTS QUALITY BUT NOT A BIG OR EXPENSIVE SPECIMEN. The cluster wraps around the top of the xonotlite matrix.



KCPR-31 - Orange Prehnite - $350
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.3 x 3.4 x 2.1 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A concave cavity with protected crystals of orange prehnite from this small and rare find. VERY rich overall, and with unusual isolation to the crystals as you see!



KCPR-32 - Orange Prehnite - $1250 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.4 x 4.5 x 2.3 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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GEMMY , lustrous...probably the piece with teh best sheer crystal quality in the whole lot; this is a stunning and colorful miniature! The orange here is free of red overtones, and quite distinct.



KCPR-33 - Orange Prehnite on Calcite - $950 SOLD
NChwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, South Africa
miniature, 5.4 x 3.2 x 2.7 cm
ex.  Charlie Key

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A superb tree-shaped, 3-dimensional specimen with GEMMY , lustrous crystals of prehnite to 7mm. The sparkle emanating from the cluster of crystals is beautiful, as is the pure orange color. I could not decide which i like better from this or the last one. The previous piece has more color impact, but this has better aesthetics. They both have the best quality gemmy, lustrous, elongated crystals that were found.



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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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