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MD-112809 - Vanadinite, Psilomelane - - Archived Taouz, Er Rachidia Province, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco large cabinet, 24.5 x 16.6 x 9.0 cm.
24.5 x 16.6 x 9.0 cm. A very rare piece today not only for size but for overall aspect, from the early 1980s finds at Taouz which preceded major finds at Mibladen that later made people forget about these small finds out in the further desert. However, these older pieces are of a unique style with startling contrast when on this great velvety matrix, were more rare when found, more valuable when found, harder to get then and still rarer today. I have seen pictures of this forbidding locality in a slideshow by Vic Yount, recently, and let me tell you I am amazed we have ANYTHING from there. The place is near the OPEN border with Libya. It consists of a warren of natural caves accessed by dangerous un-supported shafts dug by hand. And it is in the middle of a very hot desert! I am shocked a large specimen like this survived unscathed. The velvety surface is especially prone to damage and you have to think about the care taken to get it from the mine to the market and then through 30 years of collectors hands. Charlie bought it soon after it was found at Tucson of 1984, directly from Vic Yount who handled most of them at the time. It is a dramatic display piece and happens also to be really good for what it is. This is a key piece form the Charlie Freed Collection out of Los Angeles.
MD-118712 - Psilomelane - - Archived Wessels Mine (Wessel's Mine), Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa large cabinet, 19.9 x 8.9 x 5 cm.
19.9 x 8.9 x 5 cm. Outstanding large plate of beautiful botryoidal Psilomelane. Rather than the shiny hard surface that you frequently see, the gentle botryoids are covered by a sparkling gray-black druse.
MD-167850 - Psilomelane - - Archived Iron Chief and Ferro Group (Iron Chief; Argus Range), Inyo Co., California, USA small cabinet, 6.7 x 5.8 x 5.1 cm.
6.7 x 5.8 x 5.1 cm. From the noted California collection of Charles Hansen - a specimen of the weird-looking manganese oxide psilomelane, looking more biological than mineralogical! U.S. specimens are uncommon on the market. Old California material, and a pretty good one!
MD-172281 - Psilomelane - - Archived Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy small cabinet, 6.8 x 4.9 x 2.4 cm.
6.8 x 4.9 x 2.4 cm. The matrix here is shot through with flat, dendritic (branchlike) crystallizations of psilomelane, sometimes mistaken for plant fossils. This is from the Isle of Elba, the site of one of the two Napoleon exiles, and also a classic European locality for pyrites and tourmalines among other minerals.
MD-213089 - Psilomelane - - Archived Fourth of July Mine (Fourth of July claims; Ellis shaft; Billingsley Fluorspar Mines; Sydney Mine), Duncan, Ash Peak District (Twin Peaks District), Greenlee Co., Arizona, USA small cabinet, 6.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 cm.
6.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 cm. An old-time, very showy crust of bubbly, botryoidal psilomelane from the lesser-known Fourth of July Mine, near Duncan, Arizona. Excellent material from this locale. Accompanied by a Burminco label, which dates the piece to the 1950s to 1970s.
MD-264112 - Psilomelane - - Archived Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA miniature, 3.2 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm
3.2 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm (largest). Psilomelane is an obsolete group name for hard black manganese oxides. It is known to have occurred in many of the mines in the historic Bisbee District, but is very rare as preserved specimens. This excellent and very rare, two-piece set consists of nubby, very light weight, purple-gray psilomelane stalactites. Both ends of the smaller piece appear to be broken, but the larger piece has a fabulous branching and connected termination. Probably old material, but no proof. Ex. Dennis Mullane Bisbee Collection.
MD-43248 - Smithsonite, Psilomelane - - Archived Broken Hill, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia small cabinet, 5.7 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm
An aesthetic specimen of sharp, lustrous, gemmy, colorless smithsonite crystals to 5mm partially covering a stalactite of platy psilomelane from Broken Hill, Australia. Old and choice material from the oxidized zone of this world-famous mine. The tip of the stalactite is broken, but it does nicely show the growth banding. Ex Ed Ruggiero Collection, who purchased this piece in May, 1976 from Pala Properties. Ex Robert M. Rich Collection. 5.7 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm All Content and Design ©1996-2010 The ArkenstonePowered by http://mineralwebsites.comBy-species Galleries | ||||||||||||||
