China!

A selection of minerals from China.  My aim in choosing specimens is usually to offer pieces that are mineralogically interesting, either for their novelty or form, while still being aesthetic.  With the specimens I brought back this time, I feel that I did a decent job of fulfilling that goal.  Of particular note in this update: a killer stibnite, 2 new finds of scheelite, one featuring rich plates of white, octahedral crystals, and the other combining brownish crystals with pale green fluorite.  Also, cassiterite from a new mine in Inner Mongolia—the best of these feature fluorite combinations.  There are also a few specimens with actual crystals (!) of gibbsite on fluorite, and of course, the usual assortment of fluorites, though with a couple rather special ones mixed in. 

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2CN01 Stibnite
Wuning Mine, Qingjiang, Wuning Co., Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, China
32x 7.3x 7.0 cm
$18000

My favorite piece from the trip, and probably one of the most beautiful examples that I have seen of the species.  Rarely is an example with such large crystals this well balanced, or so clean of damage.  Most pieces one encounters are single crystals (especially in this size range), or if there is a cluster then the crystals will be arranged in a less appealing way—either too densely packed or just having loads of peripheral damage. Now, there are three very small chips on one edge so it is not 100% perfect, but compared to the obvious and unslightly breaks and chips one usually encounters, I would consider this acceptable. 

The cluster even has a piece of matrix clinging to the side, almost perfectly balancing it visually.  The presence of any rock matrix is almost unheard of for pieces from this locality—they are usually just sitting on a mass of dense, ugly stibnite crystals, if on anything at all.  In this case the bit of rock serves less as a matrix than a visual accessory, and interestingly enough it doesn’t show any point of attachment either.

In my opinion, even the large 6 figure pieces with their huge nests of crystals, impressive as they are, lack the balance and beauty of this one.

It really is a spectacular piece-- I saw the thing once and passed because of the price, but I knew I would regret it if I did not bring it back with me.  I will also point out: it is not cheap, but my asking price is about 40% of what a “big dealer” would have marked on an inferior piece of similar size 
















2CN02 Cassiterite, Fluorite and Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
7.1x 4.2x 2.3 cm
$1750

One of the main new finds I encountered on this trip were cassiterite specimens from the Weila Situo Silver deposit.  They varied in quality: some were densely packed, others interspersed on plates of muscovite, or light purple topaz.  The best, in my opinion, had well formed crystals with good spacing and aesthetic associations.  I purchased a large lot of this material, but this was one of my 2 favorites, for its association with muscovite, and a bluish-green fluorite crystal (the back half is cleaved).  Contact on the top, but displays perfectly from the front. 

Finding examples that didn't have a banged up display face was extremely hard—This was one of the best I saw, period.










2CN03 Fluorite
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
11.7x 6.3x 3.5 cm
$780

A beautiful example of deep purple, lustrous fluorite crystals on matrix.  This is the famous "tanzanite colored" fluorite that made quite a splash on the market about a year back.   For the price, this is quite sizable and rich-- and the luster is just incredible, especially with LED lighting 









2CN04 Fluorite on Quartz
Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co., Ganzhou Pref., Jiangxi Prov., China
18.7x 7.1x 4.2 cm
$1200

A beautiful example of fluorite on a quartz plate.  Unlike most of the Chinese fluorite on quartz examples you see, these have not been etched out from under a layer of quartz, so the fluorites retain their original luster, and do not require oiling.  Furthermore, the matrix is actually composed of quartz crystals, not the powdery white stuff that you typically see on etched pieces, like virtually anything from De’An. Why does it matter?  I think it gives more sparkle and makes the pieces more visually appealing. 

 But I realize I started this description talking about the matrix…. The fluorite itself is a beautiful cubo-octahderon with stepped faces, the color is a vibrant purple, though interestingly enough you can see additional color concentrated in a couple phantoms within the crystal, as well as a greenish core than gives them an oddly beautiful multi-colored effect.  There is also a ridge of quartz, the remnants of a cast after fluorite or calcite that hosts a number of smaller crystals.  

As with virtually all fluorites, the color varies with lighting-- this one is best under incandescent.










2CN05 Topaz, Cassttierit with Fluorite, Mucovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
17.3x 13.2x 2.5 cm
$1600

A beautiful cabinet sized example of cassiterite from this interesting new find.  There were a few different habits, this one is notable for the distinctness of the crystals, and the relative lack of damage (it has a couple rubs, but nothing major).  Most pieces had substantial breaks on the display face, or the crystals were hopelessly jumbled together, almost into a solid back mass.  The light greens and purples in the matrix also make for a particularly nice example of this material.

This was one of the interesting surprises of the trip.  This source is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China now has 4 primary casitterite specimen localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia.









2CN06 Fluorite on Cassiterite and Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
7.8x 6.7x 6.8 cm
$2500

This is probably my second favorite specimen from the trip.  The surface of the purplish blue fluorite is a bit altered, such that it has a whitish coating, though the overall form makes for a beautiful combination.  The large octahedron sits on a plate of muscovite and very lustrous cassiterite.  There were hardly any fluorite examples available from this location, most were beaten beyond recognition (except for the color) or present as minute crystals somewhere on a matrix. This was the best fluorite example I came across, and it is certainly an interesting combination.

Minerals from this relatively deposit were one of the interesting surprises on this trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  














2CN07 Fluorite on Fluorite
Zhejiang Prov., China
11.0x 6.6x 3.1 cm
$0

A fantastic example of green fluorite, growing directly over purple crystals, all on a plate of white, etched quartz.  I only saw two examples of the material, and a friend later confirmed that there had only been one small lot collected—the owner refused to break it up, and they were mostly large plates, but somehow two escaped.  This was the smaller piece—the other that I saw was a large plate, but the arrangement of the purple and green crystals, and the etching were just unslightly.

I had to pay a bit of a premium for this, the owner was a bit hesitant to sell it without the larger junky one... but I really wanted to offer it on the website—I mean, we've all seen thousands of fluorite specimens, but this is really quite unique.








2CN08 Cassiterite on Fluorite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
5.6x 4.3x 4.1 cm
$640

A beautiful example from this new find—it features a cluster of cassiterite crystals sitting on a plate of bluish fluorite crytsals.  There is a chip on the cassiterite at the tip, though it was still one of the most striking combination pieces that I saw from the find.












2CN09 Aquamarine, Scheelite on Muscovite with Quartz
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
9.3x 8.4x 3.7 cm
$660

A nice, saturated orange scheelite crystal siting on a muscovite matrix, accompanied by a quartz crystal and a small aquamarine near the base.  








2CN10 Fluorite on Quartz
Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
8.1x 4.7x 3.6 cm
$600

These very uniquely blue fluorites came out about 1-2 years ago, but usually consisted of plates of somewhat smaller, densely packed crystals.  The find was long depleted and specimens mostly dispersed into collections, but I did find this one--  I think the distinctness and size of the crystal prevented it from getting sold in a lot of mediocre pieces.  With that said, I ended up paying a bit of a premium for it, but as with a number of pieces in this update, it was different and beautiful enough that I wanted to be able to offer it on the website. China is well known for its green fluorite, and to a lesser extent its purples, but blue has never been a particularly common color from its various mines.










2CN11 Scheelite
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
12.6x 8.5x 4.2 cm
$820

A beautiful example of scheelite from a new find. This area is mainly known for its pale green fluorite, but I would consider this to be a significant find of the species in China, joining the discoveries Ping Wu, Yaogangxian, and Inner Mongolia.  What makes these unique is the richness of the scheelite—the plates are entirely covered with scheelite octahedrons.  I have seen larger crystals from elsewhere, but this desnsity and coverage of crystals is quite unusual for the species, from anywhere in the world.








2CN12 Fluorite
Yindu Mine, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia A.R., China
4.5x 3.5x 3.7 cm
$485

A beautiful example of blue fluorite with scattered purpleish blue phantoming, from a recent find at the Yindu Mine, in Inner Mongolia.  The majority of specimens from this area have come from Huanggang, I have seen some pieces (most notably of pyrrhotite) from this mine over the last several years, but nowhere near the quantity of specimens that has come from Huanggang.  On this trip however, I did come across a number of these fluorites—unfortunately all were damaged.  It may sound ridiculous, but this was the one piece I found that was entirely clean— even a few that seemed to be almost perfect, upon closer inspection, turned out to have issues.   The color is a spectacular aqua blue, and I really wanted to bring examples back. Luckily I was able to find this one.... it's a bit difficult to express how annoyed I was getting by the end of the trip, when every single piece I saw kept having damage.  












2CN13 Fluorite on Quartz
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
17.8x 12.9x 4.7 cm
$1100

A beautifully lustorus large cabinet plate of purple fluorite on tiny quartz crystals.  Between the quartz druse and the lustrous fluorite crystals, this piece has quite a bit of sparkle under the right lighting (LED's work best.). The crystals are dodecahedral and actually have a colorless outer zone, with bright purple cores.  











2CN14 Quartz incl. Hedebergite on Calcite
Huanggang Mine, Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Co.), Ulanhad League (Chifeng Prefecture), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
13.4x 11.0x 1.8 cm
$495

Green quartz from Inner Mongolia started coming out soon after the initial discovery of specimens at the Huanggang Mine in 2010, and since then there have been numerous different habits unearthed.  I often see tiny little doubly terminated prisms that are popular with the metaphysical crowd, and I have on a few occasions come across calcite plates, pseudomorphed into green quartz.   This piece aesthetically combines the (not pseudomorphed) calcite plates with a sprinkling of doubly terminated green quartz crystals. It’s a very beautiful combination, and quite unusual…. It seems that you only ever see broken calcite/ calcite psudomorphs, or the little quartz crystals without a matrix.  This piece was fortunately preserved in a way that aesthetically combines both.








2CN15 Cassiterite, Fluorite and Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
15.0x 12.6x 3.3 cm
$785

A beautiful cabinet sized example of cassiterite from this interesting new find.  There were a few different habits, this one is notable for the distinctness of the crystals, and the relative lack of damage (it has a couple rubs, but nothing major).  Most pieces had substantial breaks on the display face, or the crystals were hopelessly jumbled together, almost into a solid back mass.  

This was one of the interesting surprises of the trip.  This source is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China now has 4 primary casitterite specimen localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia.







2CN16 Fluorite
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
7.0x 4.8x 3.9 cm
$1400

A beautiful “fluorite geode,” continuing numerous deep purple fluorites of the variety that has been marketed as “tanzanite colored.”  Although not the largest, this was my favorite piece from the group.  Most fluorite specimens, especially from China, seem to be flat plates, or clusters of crystals.  Seldom do you get this geode-like appearance, and the contrast with the white quartz combined with the small windows at the back and the luster of the fluorite, make for a particularly beautiful display.










2CN17 Garnet
Yueyang Pref., Hunan Prov., China
10.7x 9.7x 8.1 cm
$700

I saw a group of these large garnet crystals from the northeastern corner of Hunan county, and this was the only complete crystal.  It is sitting on a thin bit of matrix, though is not actually broken on the back-- there are clean, sharp faces right up until it runs into the matrix. The sharpness is incredible, and it’s quite hefty.  Such good, well-formed crystals this size are really not seen very often, except perhaps in schists, but even those seem to lack the sharpness and smoothness that this crystal has, on account of growing into the surrounding mica.  It’s from a rather unusual locality, too—unfortunately I couldn’t get anything more precise than the county, but the only other thing I have ever seen from the area are the autunites. 










2CN18 Fluorite on Quartz
Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co., Ganzhou Pref., Jiangxi Prov., China
15.8x 13.5x 4.2 cm
$760

A nice example of fluorite on a quartz plate.  Unlike most of the Chinese fluorite on quartz examples you see, these have not been etched out from under a layer of quartz, so the matrix is actually composed of quartz crystals, not the powdery white stuff that you typically see on etched pieces ( like virtually anything from De’An) Why does it matter?  I think it gives more sparkle and makes the pieces more visually appealing.  

 But I realize I started this description talking about the matrix…. The fluorites themselves are beautiful cubo-octahderons with stepped faces, the color is a light purple, though interestingly enough you can see additional color concentrated in a couple phantoms within the crystal, as well as a greenish core than gives them an odd multi-colored effect.  

As with virtually all fluorites, the color varies with lighting-- this one is best under incandescent.








2CN19 Fluorite on Quartz
Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
10.0x 6.7x 4.3 cm
$680

A nice cabinet sized example of light blue fluorite on a quartz crystal, from the prolific Yaogangxian Mine.  The fluorite crystals have thin, scattered hairs of another mineral running through them-- probably either jamesonite or boulangerite.   







2CN20 Muscovite, Cassiterite with Quartz
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
16.2x 7.4x 4.3 cm
$685

One of the interesting surprises was a major new find of cassiterite from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit.  This are is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia. 

This probably looks more impressive than it is-- there is notable peripheral damage near the top, including to the termination of the rich hand crystal.  Still, the combination of lustrous cassiterite with quartz and very sharp muscovite makes it a good example of the typical habit from this mine, though at a relatively lower price.   

If you cut it in half, you could actually have two pretty good specimens.....










2CN21 Scheelite on Fluorite
Dongshan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
5.8x 5.0x 2.5 cm
$400

Another interesting new find were these scheelite and very light green fluorite combinations, an association that I found quite unique and visually appealing.  Scheelite is not particularly well known from this area, though such combinations did come out approximately 25 years ago. 

The pieces were apparently found 3 days before I arrived in the area, so I was a bit lucky in that sense. There was only one lot available and I bought the whole thing—most of the pieces were damaged, so the purchase was basically made just to obtain the few good ones, the best of which I’m posting here  








2CN22 Creedite
Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qinglong Co., Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China
8.9x 6.2x 2.4 cm
$385

Chinese creedite is not exactly new, but good purplish examples are quite rare, with virtually all being white or stained by iron oxide.  I came across a group of pieces with good color, and selected the best few, this is one of them.  Purple is perhaps the most sought after color for the species, with the best known examples having been found quite a while ago in Kazakhstan, Mexico (old pieces from Santa Eualia, not the mine that produces the orange wholesale stuff) and Nevada in the USA.  









2CN23 Scheelite on Muscovite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
7.4x 7.2x 3.4 cm
$585

A beautiful example of a well formed scheelite crystal on an iron stained muscovite matrix.  The iron staining could easily be removed to increase the contrast, but I actually liked the appearance, so I left it as is.  Considering how drastically the prices of these things have increased in the last few years, I’d say this is quite reasonable for a damage free example.








2CN24 Fluorite on Muscovite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
11.0x 8.2x 4.2
$680

Mt. Xuebaoding is known for a few species, primarily its scheelite, aquamarine, and kesterite.  Perhaps the rarest of the “main species” however, is fluorite.  I only saw a few examples, and this is one of only two that were in good condition.  Like the most of the scheelites and aquamarines from this locality, this piece displays the typical mica association, with the main fluorite sitting on a bed of muscovite.  It lacks a bit in color, but if you know your Chinese minerals, then you understand how rare and special this is—and to find one that isn’t broken, neither the easily cleavable fluorite nor the delicate muscovite—is particularly unusual. 

I paid a bit of a premium for this, but like a few things in this update, I felt it was rare, unusual, and beautiful enough to be worth it….and I really wanted to post them on the site.  So, after much negotiation, I am able to offer this and the few others at a price that I think is reasonable, and still well below what you’d see them for on other sites…. That is, if you can even find something like this offered elsewhere.












2CN25 Fluorite on Muscovite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
6.7x 5.3x 4.0 cm
$400

Mt. Xuebaoding is known for a few species, primarily its scheelite, aquamarine, and kesterite.  Perhaps the rarest of the “main species” however, is fluorite.  I only saw a few examples, and this is one of only two that were undamaged.  Like the most of the scheelites and aquamarines, this piece displays the typical mica association, with the main fluorite sitting on a bed of muscovite.  It lacks a bit in color, but if you know your Chinese minerals, then you understand how rare and special this is—and to find one that isn’t broken, neither the easily cleavable fluorite nor the delicate muscovite—is particularly unusual. 










2CN26 Cassiterite
Ximeng Co., Pu'er Prefecture, Yunnan Prov., China
6.3x 5.8x 3.7 cm
$520

China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia, and then 4) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan.  This is an exceptionally sharp twin crystal on matrix, with rather good transparency/ translucency, and to  find one on any matrix is very difficult—they are pretty much always stand-alone crystals that have unsightly contacts from where they were broken off the host rock. 

Again, the sharpness of this twin crystal is exceptional, and it’s quite transparent by the standards of the species. 












2CN27 Beryl var. Aquamarine on Muscovite
Huya Village, Mt. Xuebaoding, Sichuan Prov., China
11.0x 9.9x 4.8 cm
$480

A beautiful aquamarine specimen from Mt. Xuebaoding, perhaps best known for its spectacular scheelites.










2CN28 Fluorite with Boulangerite
Yindu Mine, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia A.R., China
15.5x 10.7x 4.1 cm
$465

An interesting combination from recent finds at the Yindu Mine, one of the less well-known Inner Mongolian localities located a little distance from the more prolific Huanggang Mine.   This piece combines beautiful blue-green fluorite with clear purple phantoms, and hairy boulangerite crystal, all on a quartz plate. Unusual and beautiful—there were onely a few of these combos available, I selected the best two pieces. 












2CN29 Fluorite with Boulangerite
Yindu Mine, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia A.R., China
12.7x 6.8x 3.2 cm
$395

An interesting combination from recent finds at the Yindu Mine, one of the less well-known Inner Mongolian localities located a little distance from the more prolific Huanggang Mine.   This piece combines beautiful blue-green fluorite with hairy boulangerite crystals, some of which are included in the fluorite. Unusual and beautiful—there were onely a few of these combos available, I sleected the best two pieces. 










2CN30 Cassiterite, Fluorite and Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
10.4x 8.0x 3.0 cm
$470

A beautiful cabinet sized example of cassiterite from this interesting new find.  There were a few different habits, this one is notable for the distinctness of the crystals, and the relative lack of damage (it has a couple rubs, but nothing major).  Most pieces had substantial breaks on the display face, or the crystals were hopelessly jumbled together, almost into a solid back mass.  The light greens and purples in the matrix also make for a particularly nice example of this material.

This was one of the interesting surprises of the trip.  This source is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China now has 4 primary casitterite specimen localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia.









2CN31 Fluorite
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
10.5x 9.0x 4.2 cm
$895

A beautiful “fluorite geode,” continuing numerous deep purple fluorites of the variety that has been marketed as “tanzanite colored.”    Most fluorite specimens, especially from China, seem to be flat plates, or clusters of crystals.  Seldom do you get this geode-like appearance, and the contrast with the white quartz combined with the small windows at the back and the luster of the fluorite, make for a particularly beautiful display.  The level of sparkle that comes off this piece, especially under LED lighting is quite nice as well. 

It's a bit hard to focus because of the three-dimensionality of the piece, but it really is better than the pictures show, with a much sharper, cleaner appearance.










2CN32A Cassiterite with Quartz
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
9.7x 6.5x 4.0 cm
$485

A beautiful example of quartz on a matrix richly covered with cassiterite.  There were a few such combos that I came across, this was probably the only one that had the quartz free of damage, though the cassiterite does have some rubs.  Regardless, it's still quite an attractive and well balanced specimen, for the find.


These specimens from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit were on of the surprises from the trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary cassiterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia.










2CN33 Scheelite on Fluorite
Dongshan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
6.3x 5.8x 2.4 cm
$275

Another interesting new find were these scheelite and light green fluorite combinations, an association that I found quite unique and visually appealing.  Scheelite is not particularly well known from this area, though such combinations did come out approximately 25 years ago. 

The pieces were apparently found 3 days before I arrived in the area, so I was a bit lucky in that sense. There was only one lot available and I bought the whole thing—most of the pieces were damaged, so the purchase was basically made just to obtain the few good ones, the best of which I’m posting here  








2CN34 Scheelite on Fluorite
Dongshan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
6.0x 4.7x 3.0 cm
$365

Another interesting new find were these scheelite and light green fluorite combinations, an association that I found quite unique and visually appealing.  Scheelite is not particularly well known from this area, though such combinations did come out approximately 25 years ago.  

The pieces were apparently found 3 days before I arrived in the area, so I was a bit lucky in that sense. There was only one lot available and I bought the whole thing—most of the pieces were damaged, so the purchase was basically made just to obtain the few good ones, the best of which I’m posting here  








2CN35 Fluorite
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
10.0x 7.5x 6.1 cm
$1100

A beautiful “fluorite geode,” continuing numerous deep purple fluorites of the variety that has been marketed as “tanzanite colored.”    Most fluorite specimens, especially from China, seem to be flat plates, or clusters of crystals.  Seldom do you get this geode-like appearance, and the contrast with the white quartz combined with the small windows at the back and the luster of the fluorite, make for a particularly beautiful display.  The level of sparkle that comes off this piece, especially under LED lighting is quite nice as well. 

It's a bit hard to focus because of the three-dimensionality of the piece, but it really is better than the pictures show, with a much sharper, cleaner appearance.












2CN36 Cassiterite on Topaz
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
5.0x 3.4x 2.5 cm
$235

A very unusual piece, with a cluster of black casittertie crystals sitting in the center of a cluster of topaz crystals.  Topaz was one of the surprises from this find—none were particularly well formed, but the most interesting pieces consisted of plates totally covered in small terminated topazes, with interspersed cassiterites.  This was one of the best miniatures I came across.








2CN37 Cassiterite with Fluorite and Quartz
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
13.7x 7.5x 3.2 cm
$585

A beautiful plate of quartz crystals, with interspersed cassiterites and a very bright green fluorite cube, with slight phantoming.  There were a few different cassiterite habits and combos to come from this find-- I'm guessing this one was found separately from others in the update, as the crystals have a slightly different appearance and the fluorite is clean and glassy-- most of the associated fluorite crystals on other pieces were rather strongly etched. 









2CN38 Cassiterite on Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
6.8x 6.3x 3.8 cm
$325

A nice and very rich example of cassiterite with muscovite, from a new find in Inner Mongolia.  This is a major find for the species, and this is a decent reference.  It does have some scuffing and a couple broken crystals, but is still better than most.

These pieces from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit were of the the particularly exciting new finds from the trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia. 










2CN39 Cassiterite on Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
5.8x 4.1x 1.9 cm
$275

A nice and very rich example of cassiterite with muscovite, from a new find in Inner Mongolia.  This is a major find for the species, and this is a decent example.  It does have a broken crystal near the bottom, but it's still in better condition than 98% of these.

These pieces from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit were of the the particularly exciting new finds from the trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia. 










2CN40 Cassiterite on Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
6.8x 5.0x 3.2 cm
$365

A nice and very rich example of cassiterite with muscovite, from a new find in Inner Mongolia.  This is a major find for the species, and this is a decent reference.  It does have some scuffing , but is still considerably better than most.

These pieces from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit were of the the particularly exciting new finds from the trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia. 










2CN41 Cassiterite on Muscovite
Weilasituo Ag-polymetallic deposit, Chifeng Pref., Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
5.7x 4.5x 3.1 cm
$285

A nice and very rich example of cassiterite with muscovite, from a new find in Inner Mongolia.  This is a major find for the species, and this is a pretty good example .  

These pieces from the relatively new Weilasituo silver deposit were of the the particularly exciting new finds from the trip.  This area is located in Inner Mongolia, near the more prolific Huanggang Mine.  China has 4 primary casitterite localities—1) the muscovite combinations from the the scheelite locality (Mt. Xuebaoding), 2) dark crystals from Jaingxi province, 3) the gem brown crystals from Yunnan and 4)  these new examples from Weilasituo in Inner Mongolia. 










2CN42 Scheelite on Fluorite
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
8.5x 7.1x 2.2 cm
$435

A beautiful example of scheelite from a new find. This area is mainly known for its pale green fluorite, but I would consider this to be a significant find of the species in China, joining the discoveries Ping Wu, Yaogangxian, and Inner Mongolia.  What makes these unique is the richness of the scheelite—the plates are entirely covered with scheelite octahedrons.  I have seen larger crystals from elsewhere, but this desnsity and coverage of crystals is quite unusual for the species, from anywhere in the world.

These were found shortly before I arrived in the area, so I was a bit lucky in that sense....







2CN43 Scheelite
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
8.0x 6.1x 2.9 cm
$385

A beautiful example of scheelite from a new find. This area is mainly known for its pale green fluorite, but I would consider this to be a significant find of the species in China, joining the discoveries Ping Wu, Yaogangxian, and Inner Mongolia.  What makes these unique is the richness of the scheelite—the plates are entirely covered with scheelite octahedrons.  I have seen larger crystals from elsewhere, but this desnsity and coverage of crystals is quite unusual for the species, from anywhere in the world.







2CN44 Gibbsite
Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
12.5x5.4x 2.8 cm
$395

When I first saw this, I was a bit confused-- pretty much all the Chinese gibbsite I had seen was that blue hemimorphite-looking stuff, and it came from Yunnan Prov.  I was in Hunan, in the center of mining country, and a couple of them were even associated with fluorite (which was definitely local).  A bit of research though and I figured out what they were.  This was the richest piece from the group, the color and botryoidal form almost make it look like an American wavellite.  Good unusual, material.  








2CN45 Gibbsite Crytsals (!!!) on Fluorite (!)
Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
10.3x 7.0x 4.9 cm
$450

When I first saw this, I was a bit confused-- pretty much all the Chinese gibbsite I had seen was that blue hemimorphite-looking stuff, and it came from Yunnan Prov.  I was in Hunan, in the center of mining country, and these were even associated with (fluorite which was definitely local).

Perhaps most interesting however, are that there are actual CRYSTALS visible.  Gibbsite is almost always a botryoidal mass or coting, this piece has actually visible crystals sprinkled on a fluorite matrix.  The visual contrast between the color and form of the angular fluorite crystals and rounded gibbsite crystals makes for a very interesting appearance, in addition to the mineralogical oddity of the piece.










2CN46 Gibbsite Crytsals (!!!) on Fluorite (!)
Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
7.8x 6.4x 3.2 cm
$365

When I first saw this, I was a bit confused-- pretty much all the Chinese gibbsite I had seen was that blue hemimorphite-looking stuff, and it came from Yunnan Prov.  I was in Hunan, in the center of mining country, and these were even associated with (fluorite which was definitely local).

Perhaps most interesting however, are that there are actual CRYSTALS visible.  Gibbsite is almost always a botryoidal mass or coting, this piece has actually visible crystals sprinkled on a fluorite matrix.  The visual contrast between the color and form of the angular fluorite crystals and rounded gibbsite crystals makes for a very interesting appearance, in addition to the mineralogical oddity of the piece.








2CN47 Gibbsite Crytsals (!!!) on Fluorite (!)
Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
6.0x 5.5x 3.3 cm
$285

When I first saw this, I was a bit confused-- pretty much all the Chinese gibbsite I had seen was that blue hemimorphite-looking stuff, and it came from Yunnan Prov.  I was in Hunan, in the center of mining country, and these were even associated with (fluorite which was definitely local).

Perhaps most interesting however, are that there are actual CRYSTALS visible.  Gibbsite is almost always a botryoidal mass or coting, this piece has actually visible crystals sprinkled on a fluorite matrix.  The visual contrast between the color and form of the angular fluorite crystals and rounded gibbsite crystals makes for a very interesting appearance, in addition to the mineralogical oddity of the piece.








2CN48 Fluorite
Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co., Ganzhou Pref., Jiangxi Prov., China
7.7x 6.1x 3.7 cm
$495

A beautiful example of fluorite on a quartz plate.  Unlike most of the Chinese fluorite on quartz examples you see, these have not been etched out from under a layer of quartz, so the fluorites retain their original luster, and do not require oiling.  Furthermore, the matrix is actually composed of quartz crystals, not the powdery white stuff that you typically see on etched pieces, like virtually anything from De’An. Why does it matter?  I think it gives more sparkle and makes the pieces more visually appealing. 

But I realize I started this description talking about the matrix…. The fluorite itself is a beautiful cubo-octahderon with stepped faces, the color is a vibrant purple, though interestingly enough you can see additional color concentrated in a couple phantoms within the crystal, as well as a greenish core than gives them an oddly beautiful multi-colored effect.










2CN49 Fluorite
Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co., Ganzhou Pref., Jiangxi Prov., China
10.6x 9.0x 3.8 cm
$500

A beautiful example of fluorite on a quartz plate.  Unlike most of the Chinese fluorite on quartz examples you see, these have not been etched out from under a layer of quartz, so the fluorites retain their original luster, and do not require oiling.  Furthermore, the matrix is actually composed of quartz crystals, not the powdery white stuff that you typically see on etched pieces, like virtually anything from De’An. Why does it matter?  I think it gives more sparkle and makes the pieces more visually appealing. 

But I realize I started this description talking about the matrix…. The fluorite itself is a beautiful cubo-octahderon with stepped faces, the color is a vibrant purple, though interestingly enough you can see additional color concentrated in a couple phantoms within the crystal, as well as a greenish core than gives them an oddly beautiful multi-colored effect.










2CN50 Scheelite on/in Fluorite
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
3.0x 2.7x 2.6 cm
$195

Hiding among the scheelites, I noticed this piece of fluorite—a single cubic crystal, associated with small scheelite octahedrons.  One of them is actually 75% included IN the fluorite.  A very unusual piece.










2CN51 Creedite
Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qinglong Co., Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China
4.7x 3.0x 2.6 cm
$195

A very beautiful miniature sized specimen of white creedite.  The overall form, individual crystal size, and crystallization are superb.  I mean, just look at the pictures—there is nothing I can say that they do not convey on their own.  There are a few broken crystals in the cluster, but this is still a great creedite for anywhere, especially for china.








2CN52 Creedite
Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qinglong Co., Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China
3.2x 2.7x 3.0 cm
$125

A beautiful ball shaped cluster of creedite from China.  This is not the tightly packed wholesale crap you see from Mexico, this one is a properly radiating cluster of elongated crystals with a more delicate and symmetrial appearance, and a faint pink color. Considering most Chinese examples are plates, this is quite unusual for the locality, as well. 








2CN53 Fluorite on Quartz
Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
5.6x 3.9x 4.1 cm
$500

A beautiful example of light blue fluorite on a quartz point; the bottom of the quartz crystal is naturally etched, and not a break.  A very aesthetic little miniature.











2CN54 Smoky Quartz on Feldspar
Tongbei, Fujian Prov., China
8.3x 4.5x 5.4 cm
$165

A beautiful example of smoky quartz from Tongbei, in China’s Fujian province.  This locality is best known for its spessartine garnets, sometimes seen in association with smoky quartz.  This piece is composed of smoky quartz and unusally sharp feldspar—the feldspar from this locality tends to somewhat weathered, but that is not the case with this piece.   There main quartz crystal is intact, but the secondary one is broken.  The unsual termianton of the quartz crystal made it quite interesting though—it resembled a topaz more than a quartz.  Displayable from one side.








2CN55 Microcline
Tongbei, Fujian Prov., China
7.4x 6.8x 3.5 cm
$165

In a collector’s market where brightly colored items seem to take priority, good examples of what are usually considered “boring matrix minerals” tend to get overlooked.  This is a very good microcline crystal from Tongbei, in China’s Fujian province. This locality is best known for the spessartine garnets recovered around a decade ago, as well as its helvites and occasional fluorites.  The feldspar minerals from this location were frequently just the backdrop of the more brightly colored species, but this is a damn good microcline in its own right.  To begin with, the crystal is exceptionally sharp, and its position nicely framed by secondary crystals at the center of its matrix makes it quite well balanced.  The clear form of the crystal also adds a nice, textbook geometrical appearance that almost makes it look like model from a crystallography set.  There are even a couple little spessartines on the edges.... I actually find that a bit funny, as the usual "roles" of the two species are so reversed on this piece.








2CN56 Quartz incl. Hedebergite ps. Calcite
Huanggang Mine, Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Co.), Ulanhad League (Chifeng Prefecture), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
3.9x 2.8x 2.1 cm
$100

Green quartz has been one of the continuously available items from Huanggang, almost since the second year that the finds began, around 2011.  This damage-free piece differs somewhat from the usual, being a flower-like cluster of flattened crystals that appear to be quartz pseudomorphs after calcite.  A beautiful little miniature.








2CN57 Scheelite
Chashan Mine, Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Pref., Hunan Prov., China
4.9x 4.5x 2.7 cm
$185

A beautiful example of scheelite from a new find. This area is mainly known for its pale green fluorite, but I would consider this to be a significant find of the species in China, joining the discoveries Ping Wu, Yaogangxian, and Inner Mongolia.  What makes these unique is the richness of the scheelite—the plates are entirely covered with scheelite octahedrons.  I have seen larger crystals from elsewhere, but this desnsity and coverage of crystals is quite unusual.








2CN58 Creedite
Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qinglong Co., Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China
7.5x 3.6x 4.1 cm
$185

A beautiful example of radiating credit clusters on matrix.  These are usually ugly plates that are tiger colorless or an unsightly brown-- I came across one lot of good ones and selected what I considered to be the best. 









2CN59 Creedite
Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qinglong Co., Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China
6.3x 6.3x 2.7 cm
$175

Chinese creedite is not exactly new, but purplish examples are quite rare.  This one had a lighter color, but is still way better than the usual colorless or ugly brown examples that one usually sees from China.








2CN60 Fluorite
Xiayang Mine, Yongchun Co., Fujian Prov., China
6.5x 3.5x 2.8 cm
$325

A beautiful fluorite crystal on matrix from the recent find at the Xiayang Mine (sometimes referred to as the "Yongchun Mine.). This is a very rare complete crystal-- the ones with the best color are almost never complete.

While the vast majority of specimens from here are a duller gray green, very few of them have rich blue hues which when combined with green and yellow zones lead to a very saturated, rich blue-green color.  

The color of these pieces varies strongly with lighting-- under incandescent light they look grayish and undersaturated.  To be best appreciated, they need the equivalent of indirect sunlight.  What is depicted in the pictures is what you would see if the piece were placed next to a window on a cloudy day.  I think the color is just a little brighter in the picture (owing to the bright lights) but also a little more saturated in real life.










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