One of the most rare and beautiful of California minerals is this strange titanium-including species, named Fresnoite after its type location. Thanks to finds by Scott Kleine in 1998, a particular pocket at the Junnila Mine in California is renowned for its large Fresnoite crystals and this is a very good example of this rare barium-titanium silicate from that specific discovery, sold from his personal collection to me many years ago. It has lived in Belgium for 20 years and now is back in the USA. Note that no more of quality have been found since, and only a few dozen matrix specimen of any quality even exist. Yellow-orange, tabular crystals of Fresnoite dramatically stand out here as isolated crystals to nearly one centimeter across, and one grouping of crystals to 1.2 cm in maximum dimension overall, all on a contrasting matrix of white Analcime (the best matrix!). The Fresnoite crystals resemble Wulfenite in habit and color, actually, and both are in the tetragonal crystal system. Refer to Scott's article in the Mineralogical Record v. 49, no. 4, 2018. There was also an article in Rocks & Minerals if I recall. This is a very important, irreplaceable USA specimen.

Free of damage, this is a prized specimen for the size and quality. Scott Kleine's personal label accompanies the piece, noting it was found in June of 1998 in the single best of species pocket ever found. As stated, this was in the discoverer's collection and was highly prized by him. It is illustrated in Scott's Rock & Gem magazine, March 1999 article on the find.