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MRZ327 - Barrerite on Quartz - AUS$ 442 Kuiu Island, Alaska small cabinet, 7.5 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 829 Minerva #1 Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois miniature, 5.7 x 5 x 5 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 276 SOLD Little Lake, California small cabinet, 6 x 4.9 x 4.1 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 1382 SOLD Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia miniature, 5.4 x 4.3 x 1.3 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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") - AUS$ 138 SOLD North Carolina large cabinet, 19.7 x 6.5 x 0.7 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 498 Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California cabinet, 10.8 x 8.6 x 5.2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 1659 Minerva #1 Mine, Cave in Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois cabinet, 10 x 7.1 x 5.2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 498 Jenipapo Mine, Taquaral area, Minas Gerais, Brazil miniature, 5.2 x 3.8 x 2.6 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 2212 Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada miniature, 5.8 x 4.5 x 3.8 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 829 Crimonoso Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil small cabinet, 6.1 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 2212 SOLD Broken Hill, Zambia miniature, 3.5 x 3 x 2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 829 Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada miniature, 5.5 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 166 Big Fish, Blows River, Yukon Territory, Canada miniature, 5.2 x 3.4 x 1.2 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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 - AUS$ 829 SOLD Kerch, Crimea, Ukraine small cabinet, 7 x 6.5 x 4.5 cm ex. Martin Zinn
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.
MRZ342 - Witherite - AUS$ 498 Pigeon Roost Mine, Glenwood, Montgomery Co., Arkansas miniature, 5.8 x 4.4 x 1.5 cm ex. Martin Zinn
Witherites from the Pigeon Roost Mine are easily distinguished from other areas by their bladed to tabular form, glassy luster, along with a snow white color. This is a particularly fine example! Rare and old, collected in the 1950s and 1960s
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