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ex. James Zigras
A sharp miniature featuring robust, fat cubanite crystals to 1.5 cm, smartly perched on calcite, over matrix. Most such crystals are buried in the matrix, and only occasionally do you see them on calcite as opposed to on an ugly rock matrix. Although there is some minor edge wear to this relatively soft, very exceptionally freestanding crystal, it is nevertheless quite displayable and one of the more aesthetic and pretty pieces in this size range that I have seen from here. Very few of any quality turn up, nowadays. Joe Budd photos
1.4 x 1.4 x 1.0 cm. An excellent V-twinned cubanite thumbnail with beautiful twinning and brassy lustre. Pristine and complete all-around.
13.5 x 8.5 x 4.8 cm. An AESTHETIC CABINET specimen of highly lustrous and translucent, light gray dolomite rhombs festooned with brassy, tabular crystals of cubanite and pyrrhotite from the 1960s find at the famous Morro Velho Gold Mine, Nova Lima, Brazil. The cubanites reach 9 mm. Dr. Gary Hansen got much of this find and this is from his personal collection. I found one more stashed away in the small lot from his collection. VERY DIFFICULT to obtain in this quality and size today.
1.8 x 1.6 x 0.6 cm. A SHARP crystal of twinned cubanite. Ex. Charlie Key.
2.2 x 1.5 x 1.0 cm. A nice thumbnail cluster of lustrous, brassy cubanite crystals from the famous Henderson #2 Mine at Chibougamau, Quebec. Several of the crystals feature the classic six-ling twinning and striations common to cubanite crystals. Ex. Carlton Davis Collection.
7.0 x 5.0 x 3.5 cm. A classic, superb specimen of highly lustrous and translucent, light gray dolomite rhombs festooned with brassy, tabular crystals of cubanite and pyrrhotite and richly accompanied with glassy, yellow-green siderite blades from the 1960s find at the famous Morro Velho Gold Mine, Nova Lima, Brazil. The larger hexagonal crystals are pyrrhotites and many of the smaller crystals are cubanites. Ex. Minette Collection.
12.6 x 9.2 x 5.1 cm. A hefty ore specimen, with probably tons of material stuck inside it as well as what you see on the outside, judging by the look of it. I think the cubanite (and associated more rare species) fills thin fracture seams within. On the exposed main face, there are dozens of thin, flat-lying cubanite crystals to 7mm in size. Apparently this specimen was exchanged to the Academy by the Smithsonian. Ex. Philadelphia Academy of Sciences and Smithsonian Institution Collections.
4.3 x 3.7 x 2.6 cm. A rare, interesting, and fine combination specimen from the Morro Velho gold mine of Brazil. Most of this fine miniature is composed of gemmy, very glassy, hexagonal, parallel-growth, light pastel-pink apatite crystals. Lustrous, hexagonal, cubanite plates to 6 mm are richly peppered about and there are also a few lustrous, glassy, colorless. Nail-head magnesite rhombs to 1.9 cm on the fringe. The real highlight of this combination is the two yellow-orange scheelite crystals. The large, euhedral, 1.3 cm scheelite is hidden on one end and even though it is partially contacted, it is significant. Ex. Michael Jactat Collection, a French dealer and collector, who was active in Brazil at the time and collected fine miniatures for his own collection.
1.1 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm. A superb thumbnail of a lustrous, brass-yellow cubanite crystal from the Henderson #2 Mine at Chibougamau, Quebec. The fat crystal features the classic six-ling twinning and striations common to cubanite crystals and is nicely accented by a smaller cubanite and a nail-head calcite rhomb. Ex. Irv Brown Collection.
8.8 x 5.1 x 2.4 cm. A classic, superb specimen of highly lustrous and translucent, shimmering tan-colored siderite rhombs (flattened so they look like discs) in an arborescent cluster. These specimens, of a very characteristic style and habit, were found in the 1960s at this famous gold mine. The edges are festooned with small brassy, tabular crystals of both cubanite (more erratically formed or acicular crystals) and pyrrhotite (sharply hexagonal). The larger hexagonal crystal of pyrrhotite (about 1 cm).
1.7 x 1.0 x 0.7 cm. A fine thumbnail of an iridescent and highly lustrous brass-yellow cubanite crystal from the Henderson #2 Mine at Chibougamau, Quebec. The blocky crystal features the classic six-ling twinning and striations common to cubanite crystals and is nicely accented by a smaller cubanite at the base. Classic and outstanding material.
4.2 x 3.2 x 2.9 cm. A classic and fine combination specimen from the 1960s finds at the Morro Velho Mine of Brazil. Lustrous, brassy, tabular cubanite crystals are richly and aesthetically scattered on the mounded matrix of glassy, yellow-green siderite blades and translucent, light gray dolomite rhombs. Some of the cubanites are beautifully iridescent and the large siderite is 2.2 cm. A highly representative and showy, two-sided piece from this well-known find and locale. Ex. Scott Williams Collection.
An excellent and CLASSIC specimen of highly lustrous and gemmy bladed yellow-green siderite crystals to 3.2 cm on lustrous, translucent colorless to milky-white flattened dolomite rhombs. What makes this piece even more special, are the tiny lustrous pyrrhotite plates and iridescent cubanite blades richly scattered on all the larger dolomite and siderite crystals. Old dealer stock of Dr. Gary Hansen and not shown since the early 1980s! 7.5 x 5.6 x 3.4 cm
Twinned Cubanite with excellent metallic luster and dark brassy color. 2.9 x 2.2 x .4 cm
A truly remarkable specimen with rich coverage of twinned cubanites, including that wonderful, 1.2 cm cyclic twin sitting front and center, all on crystallized and contrasting calcite matrix! Large cubanite specimens are godawfully rare and the pieces from this mine set the standard. However, good specimens are usually just miniatures or thumbnails - to get crystals of such quality, and so richly, on matrix, is almost unheard of today. This is a superior specimen, worthy of a museum. 11.2 x 11.2 x 3.5 cm
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