Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.

In this specimen we can observe a big cavity. It contains a group of well formed celestine crystals with color zoning between honey to colorless and nice transparence. Very rich in faces, they show pinacoidal faces close to rhombic prisms. The cavity is completely covered by small quartz crystals, brilliant, between hyaline to amethyst. A great specimen.

Size: 10.8 x 8.0 x 4.0 cm.
Main crystal: 8 x 3 mm.
Found in 2012.

Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.

In this specimen we can observe a line of cavities. The main vug contains a rich group of well formed celestine crystals, one of them with a very good size, with a very marked honey tone and nice transparence. Very rich in faces, it shows pinacoidal faces close to rhombic prisms. The cavity is completely covered by small quartz crystals, brilliant, between hyaline to amethyst. A great specimen more than representative.

Size: 9.5 x 7.5 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 10 x 4 mm.
Found in 2012.

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed) which are disposed on a matrix of goethite. The green yellowish color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly. A nice miniature.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 4.0 x 2.3 x 2.2 cm.
Main crystal: 3 x 2 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed) which are disposed on a matrix of goethite. The green yellowish color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 5.3 x 3.5 x 3.0 cm.
Main crystal: 3 x 2 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed) which are disposed on a matrix of goethite. The green yellowish color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 5.5 x 4.8 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 2 x 1 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed) which are disposed on a matrix of goethite. The green yellowish color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 5.7 x 4.0 x 2.9 cm.
Main crystal: 2 x 1 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed) which are disposed on a matrix of goethite. The green yellowish color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly. They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens were presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 7.4 x 5.4 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 3 x 2 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed), some individualized, which are disposed, with a very aesthetic contrast on a matrix of goethite. The yellowish green color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid, some of them insinuate the hexagonal dipyramid faces. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 6.5 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm.
Main crystal: 3 x 2 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Groups of pyromorphite crystals (analyzed), some individualized, which are disposed, with a very aesthetic contrast, on a matrix of goethite. The yellowish green color is very intense, exceptional brilliance, translucent to transparent. They show defined hexagonal prisms truncated by the pinacoid, some of them insinuate the hexagonal dipyramid faces. Under magnifying glass transparency we can be seen perfectly.

They come from a Moroccan locality that once was known by the presence of pyromorphite, but not with this quality and less represented in collections. Few specimens have been presented at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

 

Size: 7.0 x 5.7 x 4.3 cm.
Main crystal: 2.5 x 2 mm.
Found in 04/2015.

Analyzed specimen with report

Very aesthetic specimen formed by several groups of fluorapophyllite-(K) rosettes, very brilliant, defined, colorless (with a slight greenish tone) which are disposed very aerial on a matrix with Stilbite-(Ca) and fine white needles of okenite. A novelty at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015.

Size: 8.0 x 5.0 c 2.8 cm.
Main crystal: 34 x 30 mm. aggr.
Found in 04/2015.

In this specimen we can observe a group of quartz crystals with well defined faces and edges. We see a well-developed prism with rhombohedral terminal and trapezohedron faces. Transparence and brilliance are both excellent and with a very uniform smoky tone. It is not easy to find specimens from this Alpine quartz locality.
Note:  Le Règne Minèral. Minèralogie du Massif du Mont-Blanc. Hors Sèrìe V, 1999.

Size: 8.4 x 5.4 x 2.8 cm.
Main crystal: 50 x 32 mm.
Found in 2014.

A very aesthetic group of very sharp quartz crystals with a uniform smoky tone, more intense in terminal rhombohedron, well developed prism followin main axis. From a classic Mont-blanc area for this species.

Size: 7.4 x 6.5 x 4.7 cm.
Main crystal: 72 x 25 mm.
Found in 2014.

In this floater specimen we can observe a rich group of quartz crystals, one of them dominant, with well defined faces and edges. We see a well-developed prism with rhombohedral terminal and trapezohedron faces. Transparence and brilliance are both excellent and with a very uniform smoky tone. It is not easy to find specimens from this Alpine quartz locality.
Note:  Le Règne Minèral. Minèralogie du Massif du Mont-Blanc. Hors Sèrìe V, 1999.

Size: 7.2 x 7.3 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 74 x 41 mm.
Found in 2015.

Group of interpenetrated crystals of hexagonal shape, with a dark gray metallic color and brilliant luster. Crystals of this specimen remind wurtzite for its hexagonal shape and dipyramids observed. Many similar samples from this mine has been classified as wurtzite. For this reason we heve proceeded to analyze them. The results indicate that this is a really amazing and interesting pseudomorphosis of sphalerite after wurtzite. Accompanied by nice brilliant franckeite globular crystal aggregates and small hexagonal prism of plumbogummite (also a pseudomorph). A great opportunity for psedomorph and Bolivian mineral collectors.

Studies were carried on by X-ray diffraction of the matrix and hexagonal crystals. They have shown that it is sphalerite. Also, the Raman spectra shows that in the innermost areas of the crystals wurtzite presence has been detected, the rest is sphalerite. SEM-EDS yield a composition:  (Zn1.05,Fe0.09)Σ=1.14S1.00.

Specimens of well developed wurtzite are unusual. This hexagonal zinc sulphide, with some iron, presents dimorphism with sphalerite. It is known that wurtzite is stable at high temperatures, low temperatures being the most stable phase sphalerite. This Bolivian mine is the type locality for the wurtzite. We will send the analysis reports to the specimen buyer.

Size: 7.3 x 5.2 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 18 x 16 mm.

Analyzed specimen with report

A very nice specimen with an intense green globular aggregate of malachite partially covered with quartz, perfectly disposed on a matrix of brilliant quartz crystals and chrysocolla. Excellent brilliance and good aesthetics.

Size: 9.3 x 8.0 x 6.0 cm.
Main crystal: 38 x 20 mm aggr.
Found in 2014.

Good sized specimen that shows large groups of clinoatacamite crystals with pseudorhombohedral shape, with intense green color, brilliance and transparence. They are disposed as isolated individuals those stand on a matrix of small but brilliant quartz crystals, with blue tones of the chrysocolla, green for the malachite and with gypsum. A remarkable and definitive piece from this Peruvian mine.

Size: 9.8 x 7.2 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 2 x 1.5 mm.
Found in 2014.

In this specimen we can find two of the most interesting species of this Peruvian mine: clinoatacamite and atacamite. The first one is presented as pseudorhombohedral good sixed crystals, with an intense green color and translucent. Well defined faces and edges and isolated, allowing to observe them perfectly. The atacamite is presented as a tabular prismatic crystal, also with faces and sharp edges and bright green color. Matrix is covered by brilliant quartz crystals which transparence allow us to see green tones of the malachite.

Size: 6.7 x 5.8 x 4.7 cm.
Main crystal: 3.5 x 3 mm.
Found in 2014.

A very aesthetic specimen formed by a rich group of interpenetrating cubic fluorite crystals showing faces and edges of the cube well marked, with staggered and tile growths. Excellent brilliance, transparent and with an intense blue color.

Size: 6.5 x 6.3 x 4.0 cm.
Main crystal: 18 x 17 mm.
Found in 2014.

This good size specimen is covered by botryoidal aggregates of chrysocolla, showing an intense blue turquoise, with greenish reflections and excellent brightness. On the crisocola we can observe small crystals of hyaline quartz, some doubly terminated, those give to the specimen a particular aesthetics. In Perú they named these samples as Blue Andean Opal.

Size: 8.3 x 6.2 x 4.3 cm.
Found in 2015.

A novelty in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015. A rich group of well defined azurite crystals, good brilliance and with transparence. The blue color is very intense. With malachite fan-shaped aggregates. They are disposed in a vug into the gossan-cuprite matrix. Showy specimen from a copper and gold mine located in Laos, not well-known and less represented in collections. Few specimens from this mine had been previously seen in the market but with lower quality.

Size: 8.0 x 7.0 x 4.8 cm.
Main crystal: 8 x 5 mm.
Found in 2015.

A novelty in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015. A rich group of well defined azurite crystals, good brilliance and with transparence. The blue color is very intense. They are disposed in a vug into the gossan-cuprite matrix. Showy specimen from a copper and gold mine located in Laos, not well-known and less represented in collections. Few specimens from this mine had been previously seen in the market but with lower quality.

Size: 9.7 x 5.8 x 4.6 cm.
Main crystal: 4 x 4 mm.
Found in 2015.

A novelty in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2015. A rich group of well defined azurite crystals, good brilliance and with transparence. The blue color is very intense and accompanied by fan-shaped green malachite crystals forming radial aggregates. They are disposed on a gossan matrix with cuprite. Showy, highly representative specimen from a copper and gold mine located in Laos, not well-known and less represented in collections. Few specimens from this mine had been previously seen in the market but with lower quality.

Size: 10.2 x 6.5 x 5.8 cm.
Main crystal: 10 x 8 mm.
Found in 2015.

Group of very sharp hematite crystals, one of them of greater size and rich in faces. We can observe the positive and negative rhombohedrons truncated by the pinacoid and perfectly visible the hexagonal dipyramid well developed. Metallic luster is excellent and it has an intense black color. A very interesting speciemen of this South African mine.
It comes from the specimens of Luis "Louie" Bravi Antonio Teixeira Leite (1942-1999), a Portuguese mineral dealer who lived many years in South Africa.

Size: 2.8 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm.

Ex-coll. M. Ecker - Louie Leite

Botryoidal aggregates of smithsonite with a very tastefull intense blue color, translucent and with some brilliance. They are partially covered by flattened calcite white crystals forming aesthetic rosettes. From a very interesting American locality.

Size: 7.5 x 6.0 x 3.8 cm.

Group of huge size orthoclase crystals, showing the complex faces. Nice slightly orange color and defined edges and faces. It is accompanied by small crystals of epidote/clinozoisite. It was collected many years ago near of the Montseny massif; this area was well known for orthoclase mineral collectors. A classic from a classic collection. Mr. Daunis and Mrs. Ruscalleda (wife) collection were specialized in Spanish quartz and orthoclase specimens.

Size: 7.5 x 6.0 x 4.3 cm.
Main crystal: 18 x 15 mm.
Found in 1970-80.