Curious specimen of a classic locality formed by numerous galena cube octahedrons. They have very defined forms, idiomorphic crystals but hollow inside. They upholster the dolomite matrix. for lovers of the curiosities from Moroccan mines. An old sample.

Size: 8.8 x 7.5 x 5 cm.
Main crystal: 4 mm.
Found in ± 1987.

Classic locality

Specimens from this Australian mine are unusual today. In this sample we have a group of azurite crystals pseudomorphized by malachite, preserving very well defined faces and edges. They are disposed on a goethite matrix partially coated with malachite, chrysocolla and small yellow crystals of wulfenite.

Size: 8.2 x 4.5 x 1.8 cm.
Main crystal: 18 x 17 mm.
Found in ±1985.

Col. J.M. Manchion, Barcelona. Nr. 190, 1985 Expominer.

Vladimirite specimens from Aït Ahmane are among the world's best for the species. It is a rare arsenate that forms aesthetic rosettes of tabular to fibrous crystals, very sharp and colorless. They are accompanied by white aragonite and pink talmessite and erythrite. These specimens were found in the walls near the entrance of the galleries of the 53rd vein of this Moroccan mine. Good sized sample. The SEM-EDS analysis will be sent to the buyer.

Size: 6.3 × 4.2 × 4 cm
Main crystal: 2 mm.
Found in ± 2008

Analyzed specimen with report

Rich cluster of smoky quartz crystals on a matrix of microcline crystals covered by albite. They present some nick but for me it is a very good and historical specimen. From a classic Catalan locality and from the Daunis collection (Barcelona).

Size: 10.5 x 8 x 6 cm.
Found in ±1970

Col. Daunis (Barcelona)
Classic locality

Rich group of intense green color pyromorphite crystals with color zoning. From a locality unusual in collections. With Joan Viñals label and analyzed.

Size: 9.5 x 4.5 x 4 cm.

Col. J.M. Manchion, Barcelona.

Very curious globular aggregates formed by prismatic crystals that vary their composition according to the zone, although the XR diffraction study shows that it is talmessite, without discarding that in some parts of the aggregate a higher cobalt content is observed. These aggregates are disposed on a matrix of cobaltoan calcite, together with manganese oxides. Very interesting.

Size: 6.8 x 5.5 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 12 x 11 mm aggr.
Found in 2018.

This spinel crystal is complete all around and very richly faceted. It has an intense luster, characteristic of pocket-growth crystals that have never been covered by other rock or calcite infill which has to be removed with acid. This locality historically produced spinels of this caliber, and they came out 20 years and more ago and trickled to Western markets when the Berlin Wall fell. They stand as important spinels, not only as interesting locality classics. Sized spinels like this, from open pockets, are rare.

Size: 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.2 cm.

In this specimen we can enjoy groups of tabular crystals showing well defined faces and parallel growths. They are interpenetrated between them and accompanied by small but perfect tabular wulfenite crystals. Some of them present small ding, very common in this samples, but this one is really good. The brilliance is good and in thin parts showing transparence. They are very aerial disposed on the matrix.

Size: 6.3 x 5 x 3.7 cm.
Main crystal: 7 x 6 mm.
Found in ±1998

Classic locality

A prismatic crystal that just looks like the typical ones from Touissit, but a more detailed check shows the unusual richness of the termination, with lots of faces. Definition, brilliance, and color are the outstanding features of this sample. This azurite crystal, in the form of a broad spear point, exhibits electric blue highlights, lustre, and numerous step faces on both sides of the of the crystal. It is a magnificent crystal with only one minor ding/contact on one terminal face, otherwise, it is really aesthetic. A very old specimen, very difficult to get nowadays.

Size: 3.4 x 3.1 x 1.4 cm.
Found in ±1985.

Classic locality

Interesting specimen of ferro-hornblende from a little known African locality. Various pseudocubic crystals of deep greenish tone. It is difficult to find specimens of this quality for the species. Named in 1789 by Abraham Gottlieb Werner from an old German term for dark minerals with no ore value and from "blende", meaning to deceive in allusion to it occurring in ore deposits but not yielding any metal and for ferro- indicating Fe2+ as a dominant cation.

Size: 4.5 x 3.6 x 3 cm.
Main crystal: 7 x 6 mm.

Group of crystals of adamite, which show a geometric color zoning from yellow to violet due to the presence of manganoan adamite, a variety of adamite rich in manganese. Thios cation gives to these specimens a violet to purple core. Very bright, defined and with transparence that allows us to see this species. Nice and aesthetic specimen.

Size: 6.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 7 x 2 mm.

Classic locality

Group of crystals of adamite, which show a geometric color zoning from yellow to violet due to the presence of manganoan adamite, a variety of adamite rich in manganese. Thios cation gives to these specimens a violet to purple core. Very bright, defined and with transparence that allows us to see this species. Nice and aesthetic specimen.

Size: 5.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 cm.
Main crystal: 8 x 2 mm.

Classic locality

Gemmy and lustrous sprays of rich yellow legrandite needles, aesthetically jackstrawed in the vug, contrasting with the gossan matrix. Good color and fanshaped transparent and defined crystals.

Size: 6.8 x 4.5 x 4.4 cm.
Main crystal: 15 x 11 mm aggreg.
Found in 2017

Classic locality

This specimen of legrandite shows us a group of sharp crystals of this rare zinc arsenate, with an intense orange-yellow color. It is common that some crystals appears fractured, but in this sample there are several perfect prismatic crystals, undamaged, brilliant and with an incredible transparence. I personally like isolated crystals and this piece is one of them. Good size, brightness and aesthetics, very representative for the species. Accompanied by elongated smithsonite white crystals.

Size: 7 x 4 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 4 mm.
Found in 2017

Classic locality

These mix of crystals are showing hexagonal forms and analysis reports that they are related to Ruthenium crystals, with Osmium and Iridium. It is not easy to specify that if this or that crystal is Ru or Os, usually in this nuggets both elements could be present in different percentages. We will send analysis to the buyer.

Size: Mix 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.2 mm
Found in 2017

Elementos del Grupo del Platino / Platinum Group Elements
Analyzed specimen with report

Very sharp augite crystal of good size, very rich in faces, defined and bright. Intense black color. It is an old piece from the Manchion collection and comes from the well-known volcanic region of Olot, in Catalonia, where it is strickly forbidden to collect mineral samples.

Size: 3 x 2.5 x 2.2 cm
Found in 09/1984

Col. J.M. Manchion, Barcelona. Nr. 252, 09/1984.

Heterogeneite specimens of Kabolela are among the most appreciated by systematic mineral collectors. This piece shows a botryoidal aggregate, of which we consider HCoO2 formula, according to the latest studies on the species. Intense black color, brilliance, waxy luster... A classic and very aesthetic definitive specimen.

Size: 6.7 x 4 x 2.8 cm.
Found in ±1960

Very aesthetic specimen formed by acicular globular aggregates and fan-shaped aurichalcite crystals, with an intense blue color. They are filling the cavities of the limonite matrix with a intense contrast. With an old label from this ancient natural science store located in the center of the city of Barcelona.

Size: 7.8 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.

Col. J.M. Manchion, Barcelona.

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 presents a good size nodule, with an internal part with septaria structure, completely covered by very brilliant and transparent green crystals of this rare iron and calcium phosphate. In this specimen we can observe some white aggregates of fluorapatite. Anapaite nodules from the Bellver de la Cerdanya area are a classic of the Catalan and European mineralogy. The materials where these nodules appear are part of the filling of a deep lake of the upper Miocene that developed in the southern part of the Cerdanya basin.

 

Size: 9.4 x 9 x 6 cm.
Found in 2018.

Classic locality

This specimen presents a good size couple of nodules, with an internal part with septaria structure, completely covered by very brilliant and transparent green crystals of this rare iron and calcium phosphate. It is not frequent find double specimens. Anapaite nodules from the Bellver de la Cerdanya area are a classic of the Catalan and European mineralogy. The materials where these nodules appear are part of the filling of a deep lake of the upper Miocene that developed in the southern part of the Cerdanya basin.

Size: 14 x 9.5 x 6.5 cm.
Found in 2018.

Classic locality

Very curious specimen of piemontite, a rare Mn aluminosilicate near to Mn epidote, accompanied by braunite, in a shale matrix. One of its parts is cutted which allows to observe perfectly both braunite and piedmontite species. These specimens from the distant Kamchatka peninsula are not commonly available to collectors.

Size: 4.2 x 3.2 x 1.5 cm.

This specimen presents a good size nodule, with an internal part with septaria structure, completely covered by very brilliant and transparent green crystals of this rare iron and calcium phosphate. In this specimen we can observe some crystals with tabular shape, of beige tone, those can correspond to messelite. Anapaite nodules from the Bellver de la Cerdanya area are a classic of the Catalan and European mineralogy. The materials where these nodules appear are part of the filling of a deep lake of the upper Miocene that developed in the southern part of the Cerdanya basin.

Size: 9.5 x 8.5 x 5.5 cm.
Found in 2018.

Classic locality

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