Wavellite specimens from Arkansas are becoming rare from this locality. In this remarkable sample we can see globular aggregates of crystals of this phosphate, with a second generation that covers them partially and of a lighter green color. Good color and aesthetics. A real classic.

Size: 7.8 x 7 x 3.4 cm.

Classic locality

Good sized group of rutile crystals from this classic North American locality for the species. They show very defined facets, excellent brilliance, with transparencies and reddish reflections. With forms of contact with the matrix and other accompanying crystals. An opportunity to get a historical piece.

Size: 7 x 6.2 x 4.8 cm.

Groups of topaz crystals aesthetically disposed on a rhyolite matrix. Some of them isolated and very rich in faces. They show very well defined faces and edges, with an excellent transparency and a uniform tone. From a classic locality.

 

Size: 7.5 x 7 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 18 mm.

A very aesthetic cluster of prismatic, lustrous and gemmy, ice-blue baryte crystals with minor calcite from the named Leeson Pocket at the famous Stoneham locality of Colorado. The form is excellent and the largest crystals are doubly terminated. This fine piece is from the major 1989 finds and purchased to E. Kucera (Barcelona). Nearly pristine, only one crystal on the periphery is broken. An excellent specimen, uncommon in the market. A really interesting article in Rocks and Minerals available here.

Size: 6 x 3 x 2 cm.
Main crystal: 53 x 12 mm.
Found in ±1989.

Col. J.M. Manchion, Barcelona. #477, 1989 Kucera.
Classic locality

Very esthetic aggregates of tabular tyuyamunite crystals. Very bright, intense yellow greenish color and contrasting with the matrix. A very representative specimen for the species.

Size: 3.7 x 2.7 x 1.1 cm.

Presents radioactive activity.

This specimen is an awaruite nugget, rounded by the fluvial action. The awaruite, formerly known as "josephinite" by this North American locality, is a natural alloy of iron and nickel, with compositions within the Ni3Fe-Ni2Fe range (Ni3Fe is more common). Many people mistakenly believe that "josephinites" are of meteoritic origin, but in fact the awaruite is extremely rare in metallic meteorites. The placer deposits of this area were discovered and exploited in the middle of the XIXth century. The awaruite of this deposit is usually accompanied by serpentine, andradite and orcelite: Ni5-xAs2 (x = 0.23).

Size: 0.9 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm.

Classic locality

Callaghanite is an very rare copper magnesium carbonate, known from only a few localities worldwide. This specimen has bright royal-blue microcrystals and hails from the Type Locality in Nevada. Good size and rich sample.

Size: 5.2 x 4.8 x 3.8 cm

Type Locality - Localidad Tipo
Classic locality

The extremely glassy, transparent to translucent opal colors range from colorless to very rich orange. A really excellent, sculptural and rich bi-colored large matrix opal example from this locality. Bright neon-green fluorescence. Very old material. Matrix opal specimens of this large size are rare from this Oregon locality.

Size: 7.0 x 4.0 x 3.8 cm.
Found in ±1990.

Col. J.M. Manchion (Barcelona). No.523, Kucera 1991.
Fluorescent under long wave UV

Rich group of microcline crystals, amazonite variety, showing defined faces and edges and a very aerial disposition. The color is quite good and very attractive. From an old Catalan collection.

Found in ca. 1984

Col. J.M. Manchión (Barcelona). No.81, adq. C. Curto 05/1984.

Agatized coral with marked bands. In a very visible coral matrix. Filled inside with botryoidal and banded chalcedony. The sparkly, translucent botryoids and banding have a pleasing variety of honey-brown and creamy colors. Very aesthetic and unusual in the marked. Fluoresces in a light-blue color under a long wave fluorescent light.

Size: 8.3 x 5.4 x 3.0 cm.
Main crystal: 45 x 33 x 27 mm. ágata

Col. J.M. Manchion (Barcelona) - No.510 (Kucera, 1990)
Fluorescent under long wave UV

Curious specimen of turquoise, authentic turquoise, of a slightly greenish blue color, forming globular and elongated nucleus, in a matrix of goethite with other phosphates as possibly strengite. It is slightly polished which allows us to see perfectly the forms that the phosphate takes inside the matrix.

Size: 6.5 x 4.0 x 3.2 cm.

Col. J.M. Manchion (Barcelona)

A really aesthetic green variscite specimen from the occurrence at Clay Canyon. The polished specimen hosts a whitish crandallite. Variscite is known from dozens of localities around the world, but the specimens from Utah are amongst the better pieces from the United States. The species is named for the German district of Variscia, which was the medieval name for modern-day Vögtland.

Size: 9.8 x 5.5 x 4.6 cm. (2 unidades)

Ex. L. Daunis (Barcelona)

Good sized hydromagnesite specimens from this mine and with this quality are uncommon. On the rocky matrix, several globular aggregates of transparent crystals, with a white aspect. Brilliant and very rich specimen. Specimen originally in the collection of Hubin (Belgium).

Size: 8.5 x 6.5 x 4.0 cm.
Main crystal: 3 mm glob.

Very rich ramsdellite specimen, a rare manganese oxide, formed by several interpenetrated and some isolated groups of well defined crystals. Brilliance is really notable and on matrix. Ramsdellite from this small and defunct mine in a remote corner of Arizona was first found, in the early 1900s. However, the locality was apparently lost for some time and only rediscovered by the father/son team of Roy Jones and Dick Jones in the 1960s. These specimens are from a recent found in 2016.

Size: 6.5 x 5.5 x 3.0 cm.
Main crystal: 6 x 5 mm.
Found in 11/2016.

Very rich ramsdellite specimen, a rare manganese oxide, formed by several interpenetrated and some isolated groups of well defined crystals. Brilliance is really notable and on matrix. Ramsdellite from this small and defunct mine in a remote corner of Arizona was first found, in the early 1900s. However, the locality was apparently lost for some time and only rediscovered by the father/son team of Roy Jones and Dick Jones in the 1960s. These specimens are from a recent found in 2016.

Size: 8.0 x 3.6 x 2.8 cm.
Main crystal: 6 x 5 mm.
Found in 11/2016.

Very aesthetic aggregates of lenticular azurite crystals forming these showy rosettes. Intense blue color. They are disposed very aerially on a matrix of malachite. No damage, perfect. A colorful classic of American mineralogy.

Size: 5.5 x 4.0 x 3.2 cm.
Main crystal: 8 x 7 mm.

This specimen of baryte is one of the most aesthetic I've had to be sold... Added to its quality, the crystallographic "games" are more than interesting. It shows two barite crystals connected by a contact twin and sharing faces of different orders orthorhombic prisms. Very sharp faces and edges. With transparent to translucent zones and an exceptional brilliance. It preserve some of the original matrix. No damage. An exceptional specimen.

Size: 8.4 x 5.5 x 3.7 cm.

This huge size kernite specimen is formed by some glassy and translucent cleavage crystals. It is a rare borate, named after the namesake California county where it was discovered. It is extremely rare in sharp crystals. These crystals are not formed in the borate deposit itself, but rather in the tanks that are used to dissolve the borax. Every few years the tanks are shut down for maintenance. Kernite and primary tincalconite crystals are found growing on the large stirring blades and the walls of the tank. From the former Renaud Vochten collection (label will be send to the buyer).

Size: 9.8 x 7.5 x 4.2 cm.
Found in 1986.

Ex-col. Renaud Vochten.

In this fine quality specimen we can observe several groups of galena crystals of good size, with defined faces and edges, and cube and octahedron faces. Very, very brilliant and disposed very aerial on the matrix. They are accompanied by another galena group showing the spinel twin and a pseudohexagonal shape. Partially covered by dolomite rhombohedrons. An aesthetic specimen that combines cubic crystals and twin. Amazing...

Size: 6.0 x 5.5 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 23 x 18 mm. 20 x 15 mm twin.

Several radial aggregates of tabular flattened weeksite crystals, of intense yellow color and transparency. Some of these aggregates are covered by chalcedony. With dendritic pyrolusite. They are accompanied by orange aggregates of carnotite crystals. It is a uranium-vanadium mineralization in fine-grained sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Analyzed specimen.

Size: 6.8 x 6.0 x 4.0 cm.

Presents radioactive activity.

A specimen for systematic collectors... A large group of needle-like colorless crystals (prismatic) of artinite, forming aesthetic rosettes. But in this sample we highlight some aggregates of desautelsite crystals, a rare manganese and magnesium carbonate found in very few locations. They are orange crystals forming groups together with the artinite.

Size: 4.3 x 1.6 x 1.8 cm.

A specimen for systematic collectors... A large group of needle-like colorless crystals (prismatic) of artinite, forming aesthetic rosettes. But in this sample we highlight some aggregates of desautelsite crystals, a rare manganese and magnesium carbonate found in very few locations. They are orange crystals forming groups together with the artinite.

Size: 4.4 x 2.4 x 1.4 cm.

An excellent old classic from the American mineralogy. Really sharp crystals of hübnerite forming groups of parallel growths, some of them isolated. With the intense brown color and brilliance and an esthetic contrast with the snowy white matrix. Nowadays, it is very difficult to find specimens with this quality or any other quality...

Size: 8.8 x 4.5 x 3.8 mm.
Main crystal: 18 x 8 mm.

Ex. Schick collection

An aesthetic arborescent copper specimen with several defined crystals, with good brilliance an colour. From a former collection.

Size: 7.8 x 5.0 x 1.8 cm.

In this specimen we can enjoy some willemite prismatic crystals with good size, included in a matrix of white calcite. Willemite usually presents yellow-green fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Calcite from Franklin also highlights for the intense red fluorescence. A very interesting piece.

Size: 6.5 x 5.4 x 3.7 cm.
Main crystal: 27 x 14 mm.

Fluorescent under short wave UV