Inner Mongolia!

An impressive specimen hosting a large cluster of sharp brown genthelvite tetrahedrons.  The bulk of these clusters topped off around 3 cm, this one has considerably more size, and has more presence than the dimensions suggest.

A very nice example of scheelite from Huanggang.  This one stands out for a couple of reasons-- firstly, the luster.  Most of these things are etched to the point that the luster is practically gone, this one retained its sharpness and smooth surfaces.  Secondly, it is on matrix.  For whatever reason, the vast majority are offered without a matrix present-- they always have a contact, though usually lack the matrix.  I'm guessing the magnetite matrix gets etched away faster than the scheelite, so bits of fluid getting between the scheelite and its magentite matrix tend to loosen them.  Since this scheelite has good luster, it is an indication that very little etching took place, which might explain why the piece was not loosened from its matrix.

Quartz is known for its many habits and appearances, but few single localities produce as wide a variety as Huanggang.  This sample features the typical habit-- elongated prisms with hundreds of complex lateral faces.  What particularly made this one stand out however, was the delicate, interlocking arrangement of the crystals.  The brownish internal hues also added a nice degree of contrast, and the manganocalicte "satellite dish" made for a perfect finishing touch.

A very nice example of scheelite from Huanggang.  This one stands out for a couple of reasons-- firstly, the luster.  Most of these things are etched to the point that the luster is practically gone, this one retained its sharpness and smooth surfaces.

A large quartz crystal from Inner Mongolia, displaying the complex lateral faces typical of quartz from this locality.  This one has a perfect termination, and is fairly larger than most intact ones that I have seen.  I purchased this as part of a large lot-- the Chinese dealer's original price on this was $900.

A large cabinet specimen, featuring numerous quartz crystals on a large, tabular manganocalicte crystal. The quartz crystals are colorless, and show the complex lateral faces typical of specimens from this locality.  Not perfect (there are a couple of broken crystals) but it displays exactly as shown.

A nice sample of scheelite on matrix, from Huanggang.  Probably due to etching naturally loosening the crystals, these are almost always offered off matrix.  This is a relatively harder to obtain example of a Huanggang scheelite onmatrix.

A nice scheelite crystal from huanggang, associated with a bit of lollingite, quartz and manganocalcite.

An unusually lustrous, doubly terminated scheelite crystal from Huanggang.  Such a high luster is very unusual for these huanggang scheelites-- they almost always have etched surfaces.  Somehow though, this one escaped that fate.  Contacted on the reverse.

An excellent thumbnail sample of a Huanggang scheelite on matrix-- and yes, I tried, and it does fit in a standard Perky box. This is special for a couple reasons-- firstly it is on matrix (most of these fall off when they are extracted) and secondly, it is a thumbnail.  Most of the time, the crystals alone are way too big to fit in a 1-1/4" box, so to find one with a matrix that can fit is very, very difficult.

A very yellow, though etched crystal of sphalerite won matrix, with a somewhat matte luster.  These yellow sphalerites caused quite a stir when they came out, though there have not been very many since the initial discovery.  This is a decent sample-- good hue, and color depth, but missing a bit on the luster.  The matrix appears to be lollingite coated with nelenite-- but I'm not 100% sure about the nelenite.

A very nice example of elongated hedenbergite crystals, overgrown by green andradite garnets.  On their own, neither species is usually especially attention grabbing, but in this case, the combination makes for something more interesting.

A large cabinet specimen of colorless fluorite octahedrons on lollingite, from the Huanggang Mine.  Not 100% perfect, but actually displays better than shown-- it is hard to capture the distinctness of the fluorite octahedrons because of their clarity.

A very beautiful miniature specimen, with a light purplish fluorite crystal-- perched on the the side of a terminated quartz crystal.  Whatever the colors of the two species involved, these combinations of fluorite perched on quartz are my favorites from Huanggang.

A very nice miniature specimen, with a cluster of colorless quartz crystals perched on a terminated quartz crystal-- if you look closely into the center of the fluorite cluster, you can see the complete quartz termination.

A nice example of dark purple ododecahedral fluorite, on a quartz crystal.  This piece comes from another mine in Inner Mongolia, about 200 miles away from Huanggang.  Etched on the reverse, so can only be displayed from the front.

A pair of greenish-blue fluorite crystals perched on the side of a quartz crystal.  The surfaces are a bit rough (a result of natural etching) and there is a bit of edge wear, bit it is exactly as shown in the pictures.  The color varies with lighting type (it is best under sunlight)  Due to etching, fluorites of this color from this mine always need oiling-- I've lacquered it instead to achieve the same effect more permanently, and less messily.  If you want to remove it, just wipe with acetone.

A modified dodecahedron on a flat plate of calcite.  The colorless on white nature of this piece makes for some difficult photography, but thanks to reflections from the crystal's surface, it is possible to get an idea of the overall layout of the piece, and appearance of the main crystal.

A nice specimen, featuring two parallel sprays of quartz, from the Huanggang Mine.  This was part of a large lot-- most were unremarkable, but I'm posting the ones that stood out for one reason or another.  Seeing cojoined sprays like this is very unusual (and I think rather aesthetic) so it made the cut for this update.

A nice cabinet sample of quartz, turned green by minute hedenbergite inclusions.  Minor damage, overall as shown.

A large cabinet specimen of magnetite, with a brown, 1.8 cm cluster of genthelvite right in the center.  Priced a bit below where you'd likely see it for sale from a Chinese dealer in Tucson.

A highly lustrous specimen of ilvaite from Inner Mongolia.  For whatever reason, the vast majority of these have etched surfaces.  Even by the standards of the good lustrous ones however, this one seems to be a cut above.  (Relatively) older material, from the early days of specimen production there.

A nice specimen of lustrous, terminated ilvaite crystals from Huanggang.

A nice sample of quartz with a couple terminated ilvaite crystals.  A very pretty little miniature.

A nice sample of lustrous ilvaite crystals from Inner Mongolia.

An unusual sample of elongated hendenbergite crystals, overgrown by greenish brown andradite garnets.  On their own neither species is particularly attention grabbing, but together, they make for a rather interesting combination.

A nice example of andradite garnets, with a couple generations visible-- a darker reddish brown growth over the earlier greenish brown ones.  Nice form and luster.

A nice specimen of quartz with a vaguely reptillian appearance-- maybe it's the color combined with the scale-like roughness of its appearance.  This piece is colored green by minute hedenbergite inclusions.

A nice specimen of quartz with a vaguely reptillian appearance-- maybe it's the color combined with the scale-like roughness of its appearance.  This piece is colored green by minute hedenbergite inclusions.

A nice sample of quartz, displaying the habit typical of specimens from this mine, with complex lateral faces and a progressively "sceptered" appearance.

Huanggang has made itself known for the variety of its quartz specimens-- the individual crystals on this piece display the usual complex lateral faces, but the overall arrangement of the cluster certainly sets this one apart-- its almost like cluster of thick hay needles.

A beautiful specimen, with a terminated quartz "scepter" attached to a cluster of fluorite crystals that are branching from it.  

A nice, unusual and geometric cluster of doubly terminated quartz crystals.

A fan shaped spray of quartz crystals from Huanggang.  This piece comes from a large lot, most were fairly unremarkable, but I selected some interesting or otherwise aesthetic ones for this update.  This one made the cut.

A nice sample of quartz with calcite, featuring a "sceptered" crystal with a brownish midsection, rising from a matrix covered in calcite rhombs.

A nice matrix specimen of quartz, with a cluster of crystals in a slightly concave matrix composed of calcite and quartz.

A nice specimen of colorless cubo-octahedral fluorite crystals on quartz and calcite.  There is damage to the piece, notably on the quartz crystals, though it displays exactly as shown, and is a nice (and sizable) example of this material from finds made within the last 3 years.

A beautiful cabinet specimen, consisting of a cluster of crystals displaying the typical habit for quartz from this mine-- semi-sceptered growths with numerous lateral faces that reflect light in multiple directions.  There is a small chip on the termination, though this remains a very beautiful and fairly dramatic example from this location.

A scluptural cluster of of quartz crystals on more quartz crystals, from Inner Mongolia.  Some are double terminated.

A nice example of colorless octahedral fluorite on a slightly smoky quartz crystal, from Huanggang.  There are a lot of quartz samples, and a lot of fluorite samples from this location, but I am always somewhat partial to these combinations.

A grayish green quartz crystal  with a cluster of sharp (and etched on the reverse) very light purplish fluorite crystals.  A very pretty little combination. 

A nice example of quartz with manganocalcite from Huanggang, this one a terminated quartz with a doubly terminated stack of thin, "poker chip" calcites situated near its termination.

A very pretty combination specimen of quartz with fluorite from Huanggang, this one with a doubly terminated cluster of sceptered quartz crystals, aesthetically perched on a cluster of colorless fluorites  This piece is very well balanced, and (at least to me) this causes to it stand out from the numerous examples I've seen.

A nice example of colorless fluorite crystals from Huanggang.  These things are somewhat difficult to photograph, though I've tried to use reflections to give some indication of it's overall form.  Etched on the reverse.

A nice pair of colorless fluorite octahedrons, from Huanggang.  This was part of a large purchase of specimens, all from Haunggang.  Among the many boxes there were a couple flats of particularly nice miniatures that had been set aside, this was one of them. 

A stacked cluster of dodecahedral pyrite crystals from Huangganf.  At this locations, pyrite is most frequently encountered as tiny crystals in the matrixes of other specimens, rather than as examples worthy of being speicmens on thier own.  By the standards of pyrite from say, Peru or Spain, this is incredibly sub-par.... but for Huanggang it's actually a very good piece.

A cabinet sized "scepter" of quartz from Huamggang, displaying the typical habit from the mine, with complex lateral faces made up of numerous smaller faces that give the crystal an interesting lustrous appearance.

A nice example of colorless fluorite on quartz, form Huanggang.  The nine has produces countrless examples of both species, but I find these cmbination specimens to be paricularly appealing, even despite their obnvious lack of color.

A pale manganocalicte rhomb, studded with numerous colorless fluorite crystals. 

A large cabinet specimen of very lustrous, dark green andradite garnets.  This is intended more as a large reference specimen than anything else, though is still priced at about half of what the Chinese dealer was asking.