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from Inyo County, California
This page features a small group of interesting rutile specimens found by geologist and field collector Bob Raduenz in the mid 1960s, at a site not revealed (or found again by others) since. I obtained these specimens from him recently, and was told they were among the better examples found. Analysis shows a high niobium content (by weight, nearly 25%) . To see analytical results, click here: http://www.irocks.com/db_pics/new2010/rutilescan1.pdf
CALRUT-01 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 300 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.9 x 3.0 x 2.3 cm
This specimen hosts an approx. 2 x 2 x 2 cm complexly terminated (possibly twinned) crystal, perched with a second smaller crystal atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but nothing too distracting on the display face. It is complete except for a small portion of one back face only. Collected in the Sierra Mountains about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-02 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 150 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.6 x 2.7 x 2.3 cm
This specimen hosts an approx. 2 x 2 x 1.5 cm crystal, perched with others atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but nothing distracting on the display face. It is complete except for a contacted back face only. Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-03 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 100 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.5 x 2.2 x 2.1 cm
This specimen hosts a 2 x 2 x 1.6 cm crystal, perched in isolation atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but nothing too distracting on the display face. It is complete except for a small portion of one bottom-facing edge only. Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-04 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 750 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA small cabinet, 5.6 x 4.8 x 4.0 cm
This specimen hosts a complex 4.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm crystal, perched atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. The long face of the crystal actually runs down the right-back side as shown, so that you can see more of the complex faces atop from the display angle, to my eye. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but nothing too distracting. It is essentially complete even on the backside. This is the largest crystal I know of from this mystery deposit, the largest I have obtained from the source, and was in fact mounted for display in the past on an oldfashioned styrofoam base for exhibition by him. Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-05 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 900 Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.4 x 2.9 x 1.6 cm
This is my favorite piece in the lot, a 3 x 2.25 x 1.25 cm TWINNED crystal perched in isolation atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. It is complete all around, even on the backside! Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-06 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 100 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 4.0 x 3.4 x 2.7 cm
This specimen hosts a 2.5 x 2.2 x 2 cm crystal, perched in isolation atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but also this has two serious spots of damage to the top face and the left side, or it would cost a lot more. Still, it looks good from the front. Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-07 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 200 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.2 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm
This specimen hosts an approx. 2.5 x 2 x 2 cm complexly terminated crystal atop a natural pedestal of matrix. Well excavated, it displays beautifully. As with most of these, there are a few very minor bits of edge wear but nothing too distracting on the display face. It is complete all around, as well. Collected in the Sierra Mountains about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight).
CALRUT-08 - Niobium-rich Rutile - $ 100 SOLD Inyo County, California, USA miniature, 3.9 x 3.1 x 2.3 cm
This is a huge crystal for the find, in fact one of the biggest! Tragically, it has some damage on several edges, and a sliver of the front seems to have been chipped off in collecting, and later repaired (with some gap). So it is a big crysatl, and worthy for research purposes, but not really a colelctor level specimen in the aesthetic sense i fear . Collected in the Sierra Mountains in about 1965 by a well-known field collector named Bob Raduenz, who to this day refuses to divulge the exact locality but has also failed to find more there. These are clearly distinct from the Champion Mine rutiles from Mono county in appearance, and in chemical composition as per the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy report shown for this update (with Niobium running nearly 25% by weight). All Content and Design ©1996-2010 The ArkenstonePowered by http://mineralwebsites.comBy-species Galleries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
