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Mineral Specimens with Pyrite
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11.1 x 8.0 x 6.4 cm. Aesthetically emplaced on matrix of massive pyrite is an unusually glassy and transparent crystal of pastel lavender fluorite measuring 3 cm across. The crystal exhibits slightly stepped growth with octahedral faces modifying the cube (accounting for the beautiful bevels on the edges). Minor white calcite crystals cover one of the fluorite faces, a nice accent. As an added bonus there are several lustrous, gray crystals of galena perched on a druse of yellow pyrite, adding to the overall sparkle of the piece. A classic combination specimen from Naica, but with an unusually fine fluorite, nice and isolated for the exhibition of its sharp crystal form. Ex. Dr. Miguel Romero Collection.
6.9 x 5.4 x 3.2 cm. This is just a wonderful, aesthetic combination specimen from Naica, among the most unique I can recall seeing. The matrix is a lustrous and translucent, doubly terminated, milky white rhomdohedral crystal of calcite measuring 5 cm across. Perched aesthetically on the calcite crystal are 3 complexly intergrown octahedrons of lustrous and translucent, lavender-purple fluorite to 2.6 cm in length. As if their intergrowth were not complex enough, they exhibit stepped growth which creates a myriad of reflecting facets. For added measure the fluorite crystals are studded with brassy yellow pyrite crystals, to 2mm across. Superb in every way, this is a unique specimen far beyond the usual combination. This specimen was on loaned exhibit in the University of Arizona Museum for over a decade until my purchase of this collection in 2008. Ex. Dr. Miguel Romero Collection.
14 x 13 x 4 cm. These unusual bar-shaped, elongated pyrite crystals are a very rare occurrence for Naica, and have a beautiful and unique look to them amidst pyrites. This is one of the larger specimens, I am told, and has "bars" to 5 cm. This specimen from the Dr Miguel Romero collection was on loan exhibition to the University of Arizona Museum for over a decade, until my purchase of this collection in 2008. It was on display in special cases at the museum, and has since been featured in the book "The Miguel Romero Collection of Mexico Minerals" which we sponsored as a special supplement book (published by the Mineralogical Record in December of 2008).
8.4 x 7.0 x 6.7 cm. The quality of Chinese rhodochrosite from the Wudong Mine keeps getting better and this is an excellent example. This impressive piece features a huge, 7.6 cm wide, translucent, cherry-red rhodochrosite rhomb perched on starkly contrasting snow-white quartz with smaller rhodochrosites. The bottom of the piece is very richly covered with sparkly, brassy pyrite crystals. A large, very highly representative Wudong rhodochrosite.
14.0 x 11.3 x 7.2 cm. A dramatic and striking cabinet specimen from a find a couple of years back in China, and is absolutely unique: glittery, golden, bubbly/botryoidal, intergrown pyrite microcrystals on the edges of large (to 4.3 cm across on this piece) flattened rhombs of lustrous, colorless calcite. Some of the specimens had very sparse coverage of pyrite, just a salting, but here, it is richly carpeting the crystal edges. Outstanding condition for the size. Very few came out with this quality.
13.9 x 10.1 x 7.2 cm. Romero particularly prized these datolites, which before the discovery of (somewhat different styled) crystals from Dal’negorsk, were surely the world’s best of species. Even still today, they have amazing symmetry and geometry that are not often equaled. He had 3 in the collection. This is the largest of them, the only cabinet sized specimen. It is a complete mound of geometric, translucent, sea-foam-green crystals of datolite, measuring to about 2 inches across. For crystallography, these old datolites really are highly desirable, but so seldom seen. In excellent condition, and with a nice accent of pyrite. An elegant example of this species, from a locale that most folks simple have never seen one from. This specimen from the Dr Miguel Romero collection was on loan exhibition to the University of Arizona Museum for over a decade, until my purchase of this collection in 2008. It was on display in special cases at the museum.
7.0 x 7.0 x 5.0 cm. The Siglo XX mine is probably best known for it's phosphate species, but there are some very attractive Pyrite specimens that come out from time to time. This piece is a rather aesthetic piece featuring several relatively sharp, lustrous, slightly modified cubic crystals of Pyrite forming a somewhat spherical-shaped specimen. This piece is essentially a "floater" as I cannot find any true point of attachment. This specimen is from a find made in March of 2005.
8.2 x 4.6 x 2.8 cm. A stunning, water-clear, sharply terminated quartz "obelisk" is beautifully accented with an interesting protruding wreath of sparkly, brass-yellow pyrite microcrystals over sphalerite from the Panasqueira Mine of Portugal. The quartz is complete-all-around, nearly pristine. Classic and superlative combination material from this famed locale.
8.6 x 5.8 x 5.1 cm. This is an aesthetic, wing-like cluster of lustrous, translucent, flattened, rose-red rhodochrosite rhombs nicely accented by fluorite, quartz and pyrite from recent finds at the Wudong Mine of China. The largest rhodochrosite is 4.2 cm and many of the faces are lightly frosted. The quality of Chinese rhodochrosite keeps getting better and this is an excellent example.
9.4 x 5.2 x 2.9 cm. This find was made a couple of years back in China (2007), and is absolutely unique: glittery, golden pyrite microcrystals on the edges of large (to 5.0 cm across on this piece) flattened rhombs of lustrous, translucent calcite. Some of the specimens had very sparse coverage of pyrite, just a salting, but here, it is richly carpeting the crystal edges.
11.2 x 5.5 x 4.7 cm. Here is one of the more interesting new finds from about 5 years ago in Bolivia. Typically, Bolivian Pyrite is not found in attractive, well-crystallized specimens. This, however, is one of the very best specimens I've seen and is very aesthetic and beautiful. The specimen is virtually undamaged on the display side and is loaded with dozens of trapezohedra modified by octahedra which is a rather uncommon crystal habit for this rather common sulfide. The largest crystal measures 8 mm across. All the Pyrite crystals are very bright and lustrous.
12.6 x 12.2 x 11.0 cm. This huge octahedral crystal is really something special. You do not see such large pyrites in this habit, very often, from any locality. And at 6 pounds in weight, this is a shocking piece to find in pristine condition. It is actually a floater, complete-all-around (even the bottom). The crystal shows 4 of the 6 ideal octahedral terminations, each modified by a cube at their tips so you have a flat face at the end, beveled nicely. They are very reflective faces, too, extremely bright and sharp. No damage. The bottom of the piece is complexly crystallized as I said, technically making this a floater, but asymmetric and not well-developed. Still, you see 4 of the 6 octahedral corners and the piece presents 3-dimensionally as a clear octahedron. In person, the natural imperfections on the surface add complexity and make the piece more subtly intricate than its simple geometry might indicate at first, although in the photos some of the natural little outgrowths look like dull spots.
6.2 x 6.2 x 5.0 cm. An amazing pyrite concretion from a new Chinese find. This striking, slightly flattened ball of parallel bands of sparkly pyrite microcrystals on shale looks like a hand-woven basket or clay pot with a very intricate, stylized pattern on the "lid". A unique and very beautiful specimen.
5.8 x 4.4 x 3.6 cm. The Siete Suyos mine (Seven Servants mine) is sometimes considered to be part of the Animas mine, and it is often difficult to know where specimens are from because several mines in the area share the same vein system. The good news is that I directly obtained this specimen from the miner who collected it, so I know for certain where it came from. I honestly have never seen any specimens from this locality before. This piece features several excellent quality, sharp, gemmy, greenish-brown crystals of Siderite which are sitting upon an unusual crystal of lustrous Pyrite (possibly a pseudomorph after Siderite) which are associated with minor grey crystals of the rare sulfide, Stannite. The largest Siderite crystal group measures 2.7 cm across. For Siderite, the quality is impressive for Bolivia, as I rarely have seen such sharp and gemmy crystals from any Bolivian locality. So far, this find was very limited.
A very showy and CLASSIC Butte, Montana CABINET specimen of lustrous, brassy pyritohedrons to 1.6 cm with scattered transparent needle quartz crystals. Absolutely minimal damage to a specimen of this size, with a few broken quartz crystals. Old Butte material and specimens of this size and quality are hard to come by. Old dealer stock of Dr. Gary Hansen and not shown since the early 1980s! 12.7 x 8.2 x 6.7 cm
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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