Scorodite from China

Scorodite from China

Aside from a relatively few specimens, from just a few small finds 20 years ago and more in Mexico and at Tsumeb in Namibia, the collector of beautiful rarities is limited to generally "reference-level" scorodites. Few people not specifically dedicated to owning such a rarity could justify paying the price to do so, given the prices that demand has set upon any beautifully crystallized examples of this species. Enter China, the destroyer of scorodite rarity! For the time being, for as long as this deposit holds out, there is more scorodite on the market than the sum total of all previous finds. It is not cheap but it is less expensive than any other scorodite I can think of on the market, in such quality. Interestingly, it was initially priced as gemmy azurite, the first few days after being found in China. This find makes scorodite, one of thos ultimate colorful rarities to own, more affordable than in the past - thus making a good scorodite affordable for many people for the first time. There is some uncertainty in the market about the locality information here, with the Pingtouling Mine given quite often as another source. However, the material that came from Pingtouling about 6 years ago was of far inferior quality. This is in fact a new location, near Hezhou in this non-provincial "Autonomous Region". More information, and hopefully more specimens (at higher prices now that word is out and dealers are flocking to the region), should come shortly. In the meantime, as so often with China, I recommend buying early because the best of Chinese new finds usually comes from the surface zones hit early on in a new prospect (as they once did in many American locales, now long defunct).

US$ € EURO ¥ YEN £ POUND CAN$ AUS$
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SCORO-01 - Scorodite - $ 1850
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 4.0 x 2.9 x 2.2 cm

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Sharp lustrous scorodite xls to 1 cm, sprinkled liberally with starkly contrasting golden pyrites. Many crystals are blue, and some others are darker, with an almost purpley sheen to them. This is one of the rare, elegant miiatures I call a "daisy-chain" for the intergrown stacking growth. Complete all around, 360!

SCORO-37 - Scorodite - $ 1950
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 4.1 x 2.7 x 2.0 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-37a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-37a.jpg]

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-37b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-37b.jpg]

A central crystal of about 1.5 cm serves as the pivot for this unlikely and aesthetic cluster of sharp scorodites accented by bright pyrite crystals. The piece has "style" to it, and is visually impactful because of the large central crystal which is sharp and so nicely isolated. The crystals have variously a blue or blue-green surface sheen and are high in lustre

SCORO-29 - Scorodite - $ 775
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 4.1 x 3.4 x 2.0 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-29a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-29a.jpg]

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-29b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-29b.jpg]

A sharp miniature, very good for the find and at a good price-point, with brilliantly sparkling blue crystals to 5mm , coating ovre a few larger and more buried crystals beneath, on a thin matrix plate.

SCORO-26 - Scorodite - $ 1250
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
small cabinet, 7.9 x 5.0 x 4.4 cm

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I know this looks ugly, but actually its a very important specimen that looks better in person - not pretty mind you, just better. In person you can more clearly see the huge, fat, 3-cm-long scorodite crystal that is embedded in teh surface of this pyrite matrix. It really is quite astonishing, once you realize wha tyou ar elooking at, but because its covered with so much sparkly pyrite the camera has a hard time seeing what the human eye can, in terms of the crystal in the midst. MAJOR scorodite crystal...in person much more impressive, thus.

SCORO-25 - Scorodite - $ 25000
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
cabinet, 12.1 x 7.8 x 6.3 cm

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A huge, important specimen with brilliantly blue-green crystals to 1.5 cm festooning a 2-inch vug atop, that wraps around the side. THIS PIECE IS SUPER COLORFUL and flashes when in a case, as the single most intensely colorful piece overall here. I was lucky enough to get this large and be able to trim it up myself to a more reasonable size, emphasizing the geometry of the display pocket atop in the process. As a bonus, there is a second pocket at the base, with slightly larger, but dark crystals. I cnanot emphasize enough the importance of this specimen - it is the largest, most colorful piece with the most robust crystals in one place I have seen amongst any of the pieces that made it to the US so far in 4 different lots. It GLOWS with color and is extremely significant for the species. It is comparable to a few larger specimens, not as richly covered in glorious blue-green splendor, that I saw priced for 25-50k. And even then, it was jus ta few pieces available. If this were from Tsumeb it would be a nearly six-figure specimen in my estimation, and comparing it to several Tsumeb pieces I have seen sell in the 20-75k range that had far less overall color impact. Bottom line, this stands out to me as the beast among others here, at least so far as I know to date. More than that, it stands as an important scorodite by any past precedent.

SCORO-23 - Scorodite - $ 950
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
thumbnail, 2.8 x 1.9 x 1.7 cm

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Sharp, pseudocubic crystals to 8mm in an elegant, sculpture-like cluster - totally unique for scorodite in this habit and agglomeration compared to other past finds for the species!

SCORO-39 - Scorodite - $ 900
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 3.8 x 2.5 x 2.4 cm

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A sharp miinature with highly lustrous, well formed, pseudocubic crystals to about 6mm sticking out every which way!

SCORO-13 - Scorodite - $ 2200
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 5.3 x 4.1 x 3.7 cm

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A strange specimen with sharp, elongated crystals to 1.6 cm on well-crystallized pyrite - in other words more balanced with crystallized pyrite than massive pyrite or sprinkles of it upon massive scorodite, as with other specimens here. Beautiful contrast! The larg crystals have a distinct blue color with oddly amber tips (I cannot even guess why!)

SCORO-12 - Scorodite - $ 1250
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 5.3 x 3.4 x 2.0 cm

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Sharp blue scorodite crystals to 9mm, unusually included by pyrite in this case. Beautiful plate with sharp crystals, and rich for the price

SCORO-05 - Scorodite - $ 950
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
thumbnail, 1.6 x 1.1 x 0.9 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-05a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-05a.jpg]

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-05b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-05b.jpg]

A perfect floater, complete all around, with deep blue color showing when backlit. Few of the crystals reach this symmetric perfection in this size and the form is completely distinct from that of Tsumeb. Front and back are shown.

SCORO-09 - Scorodite - $ 750
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
thumbnail, 2.1 x 1.2 x 1.2 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-09a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-09a.jpg]

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-09b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-09b.jpg]

A sharp, doubly-terminated, 1.5-cm crystal perched in a floating cluster of smaller crystals. One of the most elegant and beautiful thumbs I have sene in the lot. Shimmering blue when backlit.

SCORO-02 - Scorodite - $ 1500
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
miniature, 4.8 x 4.6 x 2.5 cm

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Lustrous, deep blue scorodite crowning a plate of pyrite-coated massive scorodite (with minute crystals on the back as well), with a doubly-terminated crystal reaching 1 cm in size. Very aesthetic and colorful!

SCORO-04 - Scorodite - SOLD
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
thumbnail, 1.9 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-04a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-04a.jpg]

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-04b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-04b.jpg]

An oustanding thumbnail crystal with sharp 3-dimensional crystallography, 1.5 cm on long edges and 1.8 cm across the diagonal o nthe main crystal. This is shocking for the species. It is not gemmy blue, but rather has an odd purpley sheen to the surface.

SCORO-27 - Scorodite - SOLD
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
small cabinet, 9.1 x 6.3 x 6.0 cm

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A very showy, important specimen of scorodite of the new purple-surfaced variety, with sharp crystals showing an iridescent tinge of purple color, resting on massive scorodite matrix with accenting pyrite. Crystals reach to 1 cm and are REALLY dramatic and 3-dimensional. To the side, there is a pocket of smaller, gemmy, blue crystals as well. Impressive piece, and I think a value for the price given the richness and overall visual impact.

SCORO-28 - Scorodite - SOLD
Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
small cabinet, 6.3 x 5.2 x 4.5 cm

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Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-28a.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-28a.jpg]

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE:
Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-28b.jpg]

Scorodite from Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China [db_pics/pics/scoro-28b.jpg]

Among the more brilliantly sparkling specimens in the lot, this piece has a rich carpet of 2-5 mm scorodites, on matrix. There are a few small spots of damage on that display carpet, hence the lower price, but the piece really shows well and has a lot of color to compensate

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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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