TOURMALINE, variety UVITE. The crystal has dark brown color with a hint of red on one of the edges. Red Uvite crystals are far less common then green ones. Luster is vitreous. The crystal is 1.4 inch in length. The white crystals are Calcite rhombohedrons. From the Brumado area of Bahia, Brazil.

UVITE is a member of the Tourmaline group. It is a calcium, magnesium, aluminum, boro-silicate mineral. The crystal system is Trigonal. Hardness is 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Uvite occurs primarily in calcium- and boron-rich, metamorphic and skarn-type environments. In 2020, the International Mineralogical Association redefined Uvite as two separate minerals that are end-members of a solid-solution series: Uvite now refers to the hydroxyl-dominant end-member, while Fluor-uvite is the correct name for the fluorine-dominant end-member.

Location: Pomba pit, Serra das Éguas, Brumado, Bahia, Brazil

Metaphysical properties: Uvite diminishes fears and promotes self-confidence, awakens one from illusions, brings an awareness of reality, and enhances fortitude.

Specimen size: 1.4 x 1.3 x 0.8 inches

Specimen weight: 20 grams (0.7 ounces)

Needles of QUARTZ on cluster of prismatic EPIDOTE crystals. The Epidote crystals are dark green in color with a vitreous luster. The largest Epidote crystal is 1.6 inches in length. Epidote is a calcium aluminum iron sorosilicate mineral. It is considered a semi-precious stone. 

Location: Green Monster Mountain, Prince of Wales Island, Ketchikan Mining District, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, USA

World class epidotes have been found at Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. Here, Epidote
occurs as large, dark green, tabular crystals in metamorphosed limestone.

Metaphysical Properties: Epidote has the ability to increase your energy levels and is useful for strengthening the physical body.  This stone facilitates a more complete assimilation of nutrients.  It stimulates the immune system and aids in the body’s healing process. Epidote increases your personal power and increases memory, making it a helpful when looking for lost objects. This stone is helpful for stamina, the nervous and immune systems, cellular memory and dehydration. It supports the brain, thyroid, liver, gallbladder and adrenal glands. Epidote immediately raises the vibration in areas that are congested, filled with debris or overly dense. It can help you find the core patterns behind physical disease and can assist you in moving into a hopeful and positive emotional state to support general healing. This stone assures you that all your basic needs are met with an abundance left over to share with others. Use this stone to increase good health and the ability to love fully and completely.

Specimen size: 2.9 x 2.5 x 1.8 inches

Specimen weight: 142 grams (5.0 ounces)

TOURMALINE, variety UVITE. Thumbnail-size crystal has dark red color. The red is visible under direct lighting. Red uvite crystals are far less common then green ones. Luster is vitreous. The crystal is 1.0 inch in length. From the Brumado area of Bahia, Brazil.

UVITE is a member of the Tourmaline group. It is a calcium, magnesium, aluminum, boro-silicate mineral. The crystal system is Trigonal. Hardness is 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Uvite occurs primarily in calcium- and boron-rich, metamorphic and skarn-type environments. In 2020, the International Mineralogical Association redefined Uvite as two separate minerals that are end-members of a solid-solution series: Uvite now refers to the hydroxyl-dominant end-member, while Fluor-uvite is the correct name for the fluorine-dominant end-member.

Location: Pomba pit, Serra das Éguas, Brumado, Bahia, Brazil

Metaphysical properties: Uvite diminishes fears and promotes self-confidence, awakens one from illusions, brings an awareness of reality, and enhances fortitude.

Specimen size: 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches

Specimen weight: 10 grams (0.4 ounces)

Needles of QUARTZ on cluster of prismatic EPIDOTE crystals. The Epidote crystals are dark green in color with a vitreous luster. Epidote is a calcium aluminum iron sorosilicate mineral. It is considered a semi-precious stone. 

Location: Green Monster Mountain, Prince of Wales Island, Ketchikan Mining District, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, USA

World class epidotes have been found at Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. Here, Epidote
occurs as large, dark green, tabular crystals in metamorphosed limestone.

Metaphysical Properties: Epidote has the ability to increase your energy levels and is useful for strengthening the physical body.  This stone facilitates a more complete assimilation of nutrients.  It stimulates the immune system and aids in the body’s healing process. Epidote increases your personal power and increases memory, making it a helpful when looking for lost objects. This stone is helpful for stamina, the nervous and immune systems, cellular memory and dehydration. It supports the brain, thyroid, liver, gallbladder and adrenal glands. Epidote immediately raises the vibration in areas that are congested, filled with debris or overly dense. It can help you find the core patterns behind physical disease and can assist you in moving into a hopeful and positive emotional state to support general healing. This stone assures you that all your basic needs are met with an abundance left over to share with others. Use this stone to increase good health and the ability to love fully and completely.

Specimen size: 1.9 x 1.2 x 1.0 inches

Specimen weight: 40 grams (1.4 ounces)

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.