Mixed Minerals!

A large specimen with a vivianite spray, and little ludlamite accents scattered around on the iron rich matrix.  This comes from the same locality as the ludlamites in my previous update. While the majority of the production has been vivianite,  particularly well balanced pieces haven't been nearly as common. This one does have some the surface alteration (it will look like bits of limonite film not he crystals) and splitting that virtually all of them do, though the size, position and shape of the spray set this one aside in my mind-- most of what I have seen are just densely packed, matrixless clusters, shards, and the better ones tend to be rather aimlessly oriented in vugs.  Please note: the green color comes out with strong lighting (I photographed this is a lightbox).

A beautiful copper specimen from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, featuring numerous cubic crystals.  These are considered to be the rarest copper habit from the area, and are among the most sought after.  This is a particularly sizable example for the habit.

A nice example of native silver from Michigan's upper peninsula  This one is a decently sized formation of massive and roughly crystalline.

A pretty example of purple fluorite cubes with good phantoms, on a cluster of sphalerite crystals.  The luster and color of this one are particularly good, and the phantoms add a nice touch that you don't see on most Elmwood specimens. Edge cleaves present, displays as shown. 

Simply put, this is a gigantic copper crystal. When they reach this size, they are usually a hell of a lot cruder and you have to somewhat imagine where the outline is-- not the case with this one.  While the surface is on the rough side, you can clearly see the faces, and the typical rill-ice surface features. There are also a number of smaller crystals perched near the bottom. 

A really, really good copper specimen-- to begin with the crystal is exceptionally sharp, then it is very well isolated-- in fact I think just calling it "isolated" doesn't stress the point enough-- it is surrounded by contrasting white datolite, *and* the exact locality information was preserved-- non of these things are normal when it comes to Michigan copper.  Usually, if a specimen has crystals, they will be semi-rounded, then they are almost always often clustered together, and often without precise locality information.  

A very nice example of one of the scarcer Midwestern fluorites-- the pale yellowish cubes from Ft. Wayne. These are typically older, dating to the 1960's and 70's.   This one has a decently sized main crystal, nicely positioned near the top edge of its matrix. 

A large cabinet specimen of blue fluorite with a purple outer later, associated with a calcite crystal clinging to the top of therein crystal. There is some sandy material on the surface as well.

The amethyst quarries of Uruguay produces lot of amethyst, but along with the abundant wholesale and decorator material, more interesting mineralogical oddities are also encountered. This is an amethyst epimorph after calcite-- the calcite has been dissolved away-- leaving an amethyst overgrowth that has retained its shape.  This has a number painted on the bottom that indicates it once belonged to Robert Nowakowski, a Michigan collector who had an extensive amethyst suite. 

A nice example of vivianite from recent production in the Brazilian Amazon. Most of what has been recovered are shards, the better examples are either geodes filled with crystals, or sprays. I personally prefer the sprays-- this is a decently sized specimen with relatively thick crystals, on a bit of iron rich matrix.  From Bolivia this would be several times the price, but given the current production from Brazil these would seem to be a good deal at the moment....

A very sculptural, old glena specimen from the Tri-State District, a group of mines spanning the border area between Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas-- some of which even connected underground.  The last mine in the area closed in 1967, then it later became a Superfund site.

A beautiful "toenail" sized example of bouronite on pyrite, this one with a lustrous lead-gray cogwheel on a bit of matrix composed of numerous bright pyrite octahedrons. There is even a bit of a gap in the matrix right beneath the crystal-- it gives an unusually delicate appearance to what is otherwise a steely metallic looking specimen.   I should also point out-- while pyrite sometimes occurs with bournonite as tiny little grains in the matrix at this locality, seeing direct associations like this is not at all common. 

A very nice example of celestite from the American midwest, most examples of the species you encounter come from Madagascar.  This one has nice chunky crystals, laid out on an interestingly shaped matrix.  I think the shape of the matrix is what makes this one stand out a bit-- it gives more of a sculptural appearance, as opposed to just being the usual flat plate or single crystal. 

A nice example of this classic material, malachite pseudomorphs after large azurite crystals from Tsumeb.  When you look closely at the surface of the crystals, you can see the radiating crystallization of the malachite. 

This is one of the oddest Tongbei specimens I have ever seen.  Since they first started coming out around 2004, they have pretty much become a part of the mineral landscape.  The spessartines have that ivy-like tendency to overgrow everything around them-- you often see the orange to red garnets coating quartz crystals (totally or partially) and sometimes even feldspars, you can always tell which because the general outline of the underlying crystal is preserved.  But if you look closely at this cluster, it is an octahedron.  Now, the only mineral at this location that occurs with some relative frequency and has that shape is fluorite-- I can't see the fluorite, but it's pretty much the only thing it could be.  I've never seen a fluorite from here coated in garnet... just overgrown quartz and feldspar.

A nice example of botryoidal cadmian smithsonite form China, good color and matte luster.  If you are expecting a wet luster, it is not-- again, the thing is matte, with some rough textured areas.  I like to reiterate this stuff and I the process I probably make the rocks sound bad-- but the pictures are accurate, and it looks quite nice in those, so....    

A nice example of cadmian smithsonite from China, smithsonite isn't exactly the most abundant mineral from the country. This one has a nice sheen on the surface. 

An especially sharp calcite crystal from Pugh, showing off yet another one of those very distinctive Midwestern American calcite habits... on this one seems to have an especially crisp look (maybe its the cleaner faces, and sharp points?)

A rounded aggregate of azurite crystals, from old finds in southeastern China. 

A well crystalized example of this radioactive, rare earth bearing phosphate from Madagascar. 

A nice sample of this hydrated aluminum phosphate that isn't from Utah-- usually you see the green nodules from either Clay Canyon or Lucin, and I've seen crusty examples from Spain or tiny orbs on matrix from Brazil... this is a little different.