Black AEGIRINE crystals that have grown in salmon-pink SERANDITE. From the famous locality of Mont Saint-Hilaire in Quebec, Canada.

AEGIRINE is a sodium iron silicate mineral with hardness of 6 and in the Monoclinic crystal system.

SERANDITE is a sodium, manganese silicate mineral. Serandite is a member of the  Wollastonite group and is the manganese analogue of Pectolite (e.g., Larimar). Serandite belongs to the Triclinic crystal system. Hardness is 5 – 5.5 on the Mohs scale. 

Location: Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada

Mont Saint-Hilaire is one of the most famous mineral localities in the world. Some 430 valid minerals are known from this location. At Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Serandite occurs in sodalite xenoliths and pegmatites cutting syenites.

Specimen size: 1.7 x 0.5 x 0.4 inches

Specimen weight: 9 grams (0.3 ounces)

TOURMALINE, variety DRAVITE. Large, dark brown crystal. Muscovite coats what appears to be a small Dravite crystal on the terminated end of the main crystal. Luster is vitreous. Sides are striated. The crystal is 1.6 inches in length. From the Power’s Farm location in New York, famous for its Dravite and Schorl Tourmalines.

This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

DRAVITE is a dark brown to black variety of the Tourmaline group. It is a sodium, magnesium, aluminum, boro-silicate mineral. The crystal system is Trigonal. Hardness is 7 on the Mohs scale. 

Location: Power’s Farm, Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA

Specimen size: 1.6 x 1.1 x 0.9 inches

Specimen weight: 55 grams (1.9 ounces)

TOURMALINE, variety RUBELLITE. Single, translucent crystal with cranberry red color. One end is terminated. Luster is vitreous. Sides are striated. The crystal is 1.9 inches in length. Pictures show with and without a light on the side to illustrate the translucency. From the famous Cruzeiro Mine in Brazil.

This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

RUBELLITE is the red, lithium-rich variety of the Tourmaline group. It is a sodium, lithium, aluminum, boro-silicate mineral. The crystal system is Trigonal. Hardness is 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale. 

Location: Cruzeiro mine, São José da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Cruzeiro Mine is one of the most important gem and specimen mines in the world. It has been mined for tourmalines and other mineral specimens since the 1950’s. There are at least five distinct pegmatites worked in the mine.

Specimen size: 1.9 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches

Specimen weight: 14.5 grams (0.5 ounces)

NEVADA – JACKPOT! Mint condition. One of my favorite books from the monograph series from Lithographie, Inc. Some 124 pages with 16 chapters written by experts around the world. Chapters on gold and silver mining, barite from Meikle mine, turquoise, opal, garnets, stibnite and famous locations such as Hallelujah Junction and Majuba Hill mine. A map of Nevada Mineral Localities is included.

Beautiful cluster of transparent BARITE crystals from the classic location of Meikle Mine, Elko, County, Nevada. Root beer color. Adamantine luster. The largest crystal is 1.25 inches wide. Any white that you may see in the pictures is only a reflection from faces of the crystals.

Beautiful LAPIS LAZULI Pendant set in sterling silver. The blue color is gorgeous. Lapis Lazuli is a powerful crystal for activating the higher mind and enhancing intellectual ability. It stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. It is excellent for enhancing memory.

Beautiful Carnelian OBELISK carving. Cut and polished to show off the banding in the Carnelian Agate. Dark red and white color. Height is 6.0 inches. The Carnelian is from Brazil. From the collection of Bruce Brown (Denver, Colorado).

Cluster of large, purple, translucent FLUORITE crystals on white Quartz. Most of the cubic crystals are beveled and zoned with dark purple edges. The Fluorite fluoresces Blue under long-wave UV light. Specimen is 6.3 inches in length. Largest Fluorite cube is 0.6 inches long. 

Cluster of emerald-green DIOPTASE crystals with white Calcite crystals. The largest dioptase crystal is 0.4 inches long. Luster is adamantine. Crystals are rhombohedral shape. The specimen is from the famous TSUMEB Mine in Namibia.

At least 30 individual, emerald-green DIOPTASE crystals sprinkled on a Dolomite matrix. The largest dioptase crystal is 0.3 inches long. Luster is adamantine. Crystals are rhombohedral shape. The specimen is from the famous TSUMEB Mine in Namibia. From the collection of Kim Cathcart.

Cluster of large emerald-green DIOPTASE crystals on matrix. The two largest dioptase crystals are 0.5 inches long. Luster is adamantine. Crystals are rhombohedral shape. The specimen is from the famous TSUMEB Mine in Namibia. Custom base. Minor white Calcite crystals are sprinkled over the specimen.

Specimen of brilliant GOLD crystals on Sericite matrix. The specimen weighs 54 grams (1.9 ounces). Length is 1.8 inches. El Dorado County, California is famous for its gold production since the California Gold Rush in 1849. 

Brilliant GOLD LEAF from the famous Little Jonny Mine in Leadville, Colorado. The gold weighs 1.1 grams (0.0387 ounces).

Brilliant GOLD LEAF crystals, thumbnail size. Weighs 1.6 grams (0.055 ounces). Length is 0.9 inches. Mariposa County, California is famous for its gold production since the California Gold Rush in 1849. From the collection of Beau Gordon.

Brilliant GOLD LEAF from the famous Little Jonny Mine in Leadville, Colorado. The gold weighs 1.8 grams (0.063 ounces).

ELBAITE crystal with a blue INDICOLITE cap. The blue cap is translucent. Luster is vitreous. The crystal is 1.0 inch in length. Albite is the small white spot on the crystal. This specimen is thumbnail size. ELBAITE is a member of the Tourmaline group. INDICOLITE is the blue variety of Elbaite.

Peach colored, translucent TOPAZ crystal. The terminated end is vitreous but all of the sides are adamantine. There is conchoidal fracturing on one side and the bottom. Topaz is the birthstone for November. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

AQUAMARINE is the sky-blue to sea-green gem variety of BERYL. This Aquamarine is blue in color, gemmy, and transparent. The specimen is terminated with excellent crystal structure. The sides are adamantine while the top is vitreous. There is minor Muscovite (Mica). This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

Olmite

Kalahari Manganese Fields 

Northern Cape Province South Africa  6 x 4.5 x 4 cm

Rocky Mountain Gems and Minerals 

Peach colored TOPAZ crystal. The terminated end is rough but all of the sides are transparent. The white mineral is Albite (Feldspar). The Topaz can be cut into a gemstone. Topaz is the birthstone for November. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.