Mixed Specimens

An unusual datolite specimen for Dal'negorsk-- it is yellow.  The bulk of the datolites from the various localities in the area are greenish, but this one is very solidly yellow.  

The only other locality I can think of for obviously yellow datolite is Michigan's upper peninsula, but those are cryptocrystaline nodules colored by impurities, rather than being composed of actual yellow crystals.

The black crystals are very small ilvaites scattered over the datolite.  Slightly older material, with crystals on both sides.

A cluster of purple amethyst points on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas.

Although this is a contemporary piece, the size and color of the crystals are more reminiscent of the specimens recovered here in the 1980's.  The bulk of specimens from this location typically consist of narrower crystals with the color concentrated near the tips (see the preceding specimen)

A quartz crystal included by hairy (tremolite?) and a couple cookeite spheres.  

A beautiful and unusual example of rare and unusual Japanese material. 

A sharply terminated quartz crystal included by hairy (tremolite?).

A beautiful and unusual example of rare and unusual Japanese material. 

A group of doubly terminated anatase crystals to 1 cm, on matrix, from Kharran.  

This piece comes from an Australian collection.

I have handled hundreds of these things, and this is one of the few where I can actually see a bit of geminess in the crystals-- the color is dark, but there are distinct zones or translucency.  That is particularly unusual in crystals of this size-- the few examples I had seen in the past derived their translucency from the thin geometry of the crystals

A doubly terminated, purple amethyst crystal with a sceptered appearance, on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas. 

Although this is a contemporary piece, the size and color of the crystal is more reminiscent of the specimens recovered there in the 1980's.  The bulk of contemporary specimens from this location typically consist of narrower crystals with the color concentrated near the tips.

The matrix has a light green hue that contrasts well with the amethyst, though which unfortunately does not show up too well in the photographs.