Rae Species from the Martin Zinn Collection!

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MRZ326 - Rhodozite - €183 SOLD
Antandrokomby, Manadona Valley, Antsirabe, Madagascar
miniature, 4.3 x 4.1 x 3.7 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Rhodozite - Antandrokomby, Manadona Valley, Antsirabe, Madagascar
Rhodozite - Antandrokomby, Manadona Valley, Antsirabe, Madagascar

This multi-elemental, cesium rich, oxide, reaches its zenith in Madagascar. A lustrous, beige- colored octahedron of rhodizite, measuring 1.5 cm in length, is nestled down in a vug. Rare and superb!



MRZ327 - Barrerite on Quartz - €293
Kuiu Island, Alaska
small cabinet, 7.5 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Barrerite on Quartz - Kuiu Island, Alaska
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Barrerite on Quartz - Kuiu Island, Alaska

A 7.0 cm tall quartz stalactite of sparkling, snow white, drusy quartz, is the host for a few crystals of pearlescent barrerite, to 3.75 cm in length, a rare member of the zeolite family. Rarer still, this was from a one time discovery in Alaska. I recall when they came out, and a single dealer had a table or two full of them at one of the hotel mineral shows run by Marty Zinn. Superb!



MRZ328 - Witherite - €549
Minerva #1 Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois
miniature, 5.7 x 5 x 5 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Witherite - Minerva #1 Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois

This is a VERY large and fat, doubly terminated, lustrous, translucent witherite crystal. Although there appears to be some small contacts on the non viewing side, this is still a fine, large, crystal and unusually 3-dimensional. They are heftier than you would expect, too. Ex. Gerald Herfurth collection, so it goes back aways.



MRZ329 - Fayalite on Cristobalite - €183 SOLD
Little Lake, California
small cabinet, 6 x 4.9 x 4.1 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Fayalite on Cristobalite - Little Lake, California
Fayalite on Cristobalite - Little Lake, California
Fayalite on Cristobalite - Little Lake, CaliforniaFayalite on Cristobalite - Little Lake, California

Amygdaloidal obsidian is the matrix for an open "egg" of light gray, cristobalite ( a tetragonal polymorph of quartz) which lines the inside. Perched aesthetically inside the cristobalite vug is a gemmy, yellow-green crystal, 0.2 cm across, of fayalite. This is an end member of the olivine group, of which, the most famous member is forsterite var. peridot. But you even more seldom see nice sharp (gemmy!) fayalites.



MRZ330 - Paravauxite with Vauxite - €916 SOLD
Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia
miniature, 5.4 x 4.3 x 1.3 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Paravauxite with Vauxite - Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia
Paravauxite with Vauxite - Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia

A VERY RARE COMBO SPECIMEN! These two species were first described on an expedition to South America, about 1930, by Sam Gordon, then curator of minerals at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. Laths of doubly terminated, lustrous and translucent, pearlescent, paravauxite, to 1.1 cm across are enhanced by .3 cm rosettes of royal blue vauxite. Stunning contrast found only on old specimens recovered in that era.



MRZ331 - Itacalumite ("bending rock") - €91 SOLD
North Carolina
large cabinet, 19.7 x 6.5 x 0.7 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Itacalumite (

Although not specifically a mineral species, this unusual rock has the unique ability to flex and bend several degrees from horizontal. Just a neat thing for educational use, studies of flexion in nature, etc?



MRZ332 - Trona - €329
Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California
cabinet, 10.8 x 8.6 x 5.2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Trona - Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California
Trona - Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California

From Owens dry lake in California, this cluster of trona, a hydrated sodium, hydrogen, carbonate, occurs in large , golden crystals to 4.5 cm in length. The crystals are susceptible to dulling in humid environment but these have survived pretty well with only the slightest of surface alteration. From a major find by John Seibel at a small mine out there, acknowledged to have poduced best of species, in the late-90s



MRZ334 - Witherite - €1099
Minerva #1 Mine, Cave in Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois
cabinet, 10 x 7.1 x 5.2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Witherite - Minerva #1 Mine, Cave in Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois

This matrix specimen is dominated by a large, doubly terminated, lustrous and translucent, ivory colored, witherite crystal, measuring 5.0 cm in length. This is a very aesthetic balance of large crystal size and matrix, and the crystals show the classic form and color, makign this overall a quality specimen from the famous Minerva #1 M in Illinois.



MRZ335 - Andalusite - €329
Jenipapo Mine, Taquaral area, Minas Gerais, Brazil
miniature, 5.2 x 3.8 x 2.6 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Andalusite - Jenipapo Mine, Taquaral area, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Andalusite - Jenipapo Mine, Taquaral area, Minas Gerais, BrazilAndalusite - Jenipapo Mine, Taquaral area, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This large crystal of andalusite has good form and a pleasing orangy-brown color with minor translucence. It is extremely unusual in its robust form and completeness, the best of this late-90s find that i can recall.



MRZ336 - Leifite and Serandite - €1465
Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
miniature, 5.8 x 4.5 x 3.8 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Leifite and Serandite - Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
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Leifite and Serandite - Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
Leifite and Serandite - Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, CanadaLeifite and Serandite - Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada

This alkali massif has produced an incredible number of uncommon to very rare minerals. Among the world’s best are leifite and serandite which were found together in a famous pocket in the late 1980’s. This matrix specimen is highlighted by translucent, salmon colored, serandite crystals to .5 cm across which are topped by spheroidal aggregates of lustrous, ivory colored leifite, to 2.5 cm across. This is among the more aesthetic of large leifite specimens I have seen and has a huge amount of this rare species present in significantly good crystals.



MRZ337 - Hureaulite - €549
Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet, 6.1 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Hureaulite - Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Hureaulite - Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Hureaulite - Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, BrazilHureaulite - Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This fairly rare manganese phosphate reaches its zenith in the pegmatites from Brazil, primarily in the state of Minas Gerais. On this matrix specimen, clusters of glassy, salmon colored crystals have congregated in rosettes, 1.0 cm across. A number of fine specimens were brought out around 6-8 years ago, and i suspect this is of that find rather than a scarce older recovery. Still, pieces in this richness and aesthetic quality are very rare!



MRZ338 - Hopeite ps. Hemimorphite - €1099
Broken Hill, Zambia
miniature, 3.5 x 3 x 2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Hopeite ps. Hemimorphite - Broken Hill, Zambia
Hopeite ps. Hemimorphite - Broken Hill, Zambia
Hopeite ps. Hemimorphite - Broken Hill, ZambiaHopeite ps. Hemimorphite - Broken Hill, Zambia

With out question this pseudomorph of hopeite after hemimorphite is not only spectacular, it is very rare. Diverging blades clearly exhibiting parallel growth of hemimorphite, to 2.5 cm in length and of an umber color have been replaced by hopeite, the much rarer zinc phosphate. Awesome!



MRZ339 - Augelite - €549
Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada
miniature, 5.5 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Augelite - Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada
Augelite - Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada
Augelite - Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, CanadaAugelite - Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada

The phosphate minerals from the Rapid Creek area in the Yukon, Canada have gained worldwide fame. This rather large and showy matrix augelite, an aluminum phosphate, features intergrown crystals of glassy, light apple green crystals, some doubly terminated reaching 1.0 cm across. The augelites here are among the best in the world.



MRZ340 - Kulanite, Apatite, Siderite, & Brazilianite - €109
Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, Canada
miniature, 5.2 x 3.4 x 1.2 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Kulanite, Apatite, Siderite, & Brazilianite - Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, Canada
Kulanite, Apatite, Siderite, & Brazilianite - Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, Canada
Kulanite, Apatite, Siderite, & Brazilianite - Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, CanadaKulanite, Apatite, Siderite, & Brazilianite - Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, Canada

This matrix specimen is a cornucopia of Yukon area phosphates. The dominant mineral is fluorapatite in glassy, colorless crystals, to.7 cm across (rare for the locale). Golden amber crystals of siderite are also evident in crystals .2 cm in length. Blackish green crystals of kulanite, a barium, iron, manganese, magnesium, aluminum phosphate, to .5 cm across are also present. Finally, there may be micro crystals of brazilianite present.



MRZ341 - Santabarbaraite ps. Vivianite - €549 SOLD
Kerch, Crimea, Ukraine
small cabinet, 7 x 6.5 x 4.5 cm
ex.  Martin Zinn

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Santabarbaraite ps. Vivianite - Kerch, Crimea, Ukraine
Santabarbaraite ps. Vivianite - Kerch, Crimea, UkraineSantabarbaraite ps. Vivianite - Kerch, Crimea, Ukraine

It is easy to discern that these were once vivianite crystals by their bladed nature, some doubly terminated and 3.0 cm in length. They are now turned to a burnt-umber color by santabarbaraite, a rare hydrated iron phosphate. A truly unusual pseudomorph! Very few of these were recovered in a series of phosphate pods mined through in the 1990s. I have seen several dozen good Santabarbaraite specimens out of LITERALLy thousands of vivianites and dozens of specimens of anapaite from here. This is, truly, uncommon. And, best of species, I am told.



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