Madagascar!

A rich cabinet sized specimen of green demantiod garnet from the northern tip of Madagascar.  This one has numerous lustrous, bright green crystals in a vug. 

A large, showy, and very beautiful Japan law twin quartz, from the area around Mahaiza.  This one has a number of other crystals attached that are positioned in such a way as to greatly improve its appearance over that of a plain twin.

A rather exceptional (for Madagascar) fluorite specimen from a recent find. On a previous trip I had seen only a couple very beaten up examples.  This time there was more available, but only a couple were undamaged enough to buy.  This one is not perfect (it does have some edge chipping) but was orders of magnitude better than others I saw.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar, long considered to be among the world's rarest gems.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces much less a termination.

A very sharp, somewhat gem green beryl crystal, purportedly from somewhere around Mahaiza.  I had never seen beryl from this area before, but the man I purchased it from is a mine runner who specializes in the deposits around the area, and he was adamant that the piece was local.

A miniature specimen of this rare hydrous beryllium borate that is about as good as you can find from Madagascar (or from anywhere else, for that matter.)  It is fairly sizable for the species, and lacks the etching or thinness that you would typically seen in Asian specimens from the Himalayas or Burma.  What is more: the crystal is a floater, doubly terminated, and TWINNED.

A very beautiful little "toenail" sized specimen, with a water-clear, doubly terminated quartz crytal perched on a terminated, multicolored liddicoatite crystal.  The indent on top of the quartz is not damage, it's growth seems to have been interrupted at that point by a bit of mica.  All the same, it's an extremely beautiful and delicate combination specimen. 

A terminated example of phenacite from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites, approximately 3 days walk from the nearest village (Ambohimanambola) and even reaching that village in a 4x4 from the highway is quite a crazy ride....  This pegmatite is better known for producing the material that is turned into the highest quality tourmaline slices. This is a reasonably large crystal for the locality, most are usually well under 1.5 cm.

A terminated example of phenacite from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites, approximately 3 days walk from the nearest village (Ambohimanambola). This is a reasonably large crystal for the locality, most are usually well under 1.5 cm.

An exceptional tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This is a rather hefty crystal that is also well terminated, and the specimen is balanced pretty well over all.  

A beautiful specimen of green demantiod garnet from the northern tip of Madagascar.  This one has several distinct, bright green crystals positioned front-and-center on their matrix.

A rich cabinet sized specimen of green demantiod garnet from the northern tip of Madagascar.  This one has numerous lustrous, bright green crystals nicely positioned on matrix.

A rich cabinet sized specimen of green demantiod garnet from the northern tip of Madagascar.  This one has numerous lustrous, bright green crystals in a vug. 

A rich cabinet sized specimen of green demantiod garnet from the northern tip of Madagascar.  This one has several lustrous, bright green crystals nicely positioned on matrix.  There is some peripheral damage.

This was one of the oddities that turned up on this trip-- barite! I have never seen the mineral for sale in the markets there, but I saw about 4 specimens this time.  The others were too beaten up to buy, but this one actually had a decent overall form. Its somewhere between a reference piece and a  good specimen..... still, you don't see greenish barite from many other locations, and you don't see this species in general from Madagascar. 

A reasonably large (compared to the usual) bicolored tourmaline crystal from Mt. Ibity-- this one has a pinkish termination and a dark green base.

A large monazite crystal showing good faces, contacted on the back.  Monazite is a rare-earth bearing phosphate.

A decent sample (for Madagascar) of fluoritefrom a recent find. On a previous trip I had seen only a couple very beaten up examples.  This time there was more available, but only a couple were undamaged enough to buy.  This one is not perfect, but was considerably better than most others that I saw, and it does decent over all crystal form. 

A nice quartz scepter with smoky/ amethystine phantoms.  It looks almost like something from Namibia.

An etched, floater crystal of gem topaz with much of its prismatic form still visible.  Topaz is something of a rarity  from Madagascar, despite the vast quantities of gem material it produces.  

An rather sculpturally etched, floater crystal of gem topaz.  Topaz is something of a rarity  from Madagascar, despite the vast quantities of gem material it produces.  

An rather sculpturally etched, floater crystal of gem topaz.  Topaz is something of a rarity  from Madagascar, despite the vast quantities of gem material it produces.  

An excellent tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have a distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This one is unusually rich and the crystals are actually freestanding, making for an unusually good example from the locality

A very unusual (and rather large) zircon crystal from a find made approximately 2-3 years ago, the crystal has been distorted by the presence of trace elements (likely thorium or uranium) into this odd tappered form.  Contacted on the reverse.

A large cluster of the rare hydrated variety of zircon called malacon.  These were recently dug by a miner searching for monazite at Abatofotsikely, there were a few smaller ones and then this was the best large example available.  It is quite rich, though somewhat ugly.  Contacted on the reverse.

A vivid pink spray of liddicoatite tourmaline crystals on a matrix of quartz crystals.  There is a bit of damage (as is the case with virtually all of these) but it is an excellent matrix example of this unusual tourmaline habit-- and the color is excellent!

An good tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This piece has a rather hefty crystal that is also well terminated, in addition to a couple side crystals.  

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces much less a termination.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

In 2016 there was a rather spectacular find of this very rare blue-green borosilicate mineral in southern Madagascar.  I has seen some available on my previous trip, but the quality was horrible-- they were basically formless shards, and few if any had crystal faces.

A great miniature specimen of this rare hydrous beryllium borate from Madagascar.  It is doubly terminated, and even has a tiny pink liddicoatite clinging to the top edge.

This is the usual quartz included with actinolite and iron oxides that is found around the Mahaiza area, though with a twist-- the spectacular etching that is visible all around the crystal.  This piece has excellent transparency and is doubly terminated, but the etched faces are really what make it unique.  There was one small lot of this material available, this was the best example.

A nice cluster of smokey amethyst crystals from Madagascar.

A nice doubly terminated, compound crystal of columbite from one of the pegmatites around Mahiza.

A well formed monazite crystal, with slightly rough faces.

A nice "toenail" sized sample of the very rare (and rather ugly) hydrated variety of zircon.

A nice thumbnail sized example of the very rare (and rather ugly) hydrated variety of zircon, malacon form recent diggings at Ambatofotsikely.

A nice thumbnail sized example of the very rare (and rather ugly) hydrated variety of zircon, malacon form recent diggings at Ambatofotsikely.

A nice example of well formed garnet crystals, nicely perched on matrix.  There is some contacting on the reverse.

A nice example of well formed garnet crystals, nicely perched on matrix.  There is some contacting on the reverse.

An interesting alluvial columbite sample from the Mahaiza area. The pegmatites in the area produce quite a bit of columbite, and the miners in the area extract it both directly from the pegmatite, as well as from the streams and rivers-- int he past I've seen potato sacks full of rounded columbite pebbles.  This one has not been in the river quite as long-- while the edges are clearly rounded, it still retains some of its original crystal from. 

A rather large, terminated (though with somewhat rough surfaces) struverite crystal from central Madagascar.  Struverite is the tantalum/ iron rich variety of rutile.

A nicely formed amethyst scepter from Madgascar. 

A nice example of bluish green apatite from central Madagascar. 

A rare sample of manandonite, a rare lithium aluminum phyllosilicate known from only two localities world wide (this is from the type locality.)

A rare sample of manandonite, a rare lithium aluminum phyllosilicate known from only two localities world wide (this is from the type locality.)

A sharp and rather beautiful cluster of quartz crystals colored orangeish-brown by iron oxide inclusions.  This piece has a very nice sharpness and is unusually damage free-- when you've seen how they dig these out, then thrown them around and carry them in baskets (with no padding), it's something of a miracle to find one this clean. 

A nice radiating spray of tourmaline from central Madagascar.  The color is a really dark, nearly opaque green-- but the form is quite good (and unusual for this area.) 

A very large, black liddicoatite tourmaline from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites.  This one is just solid black, but this is the locality that is famous for producing the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  This crystal shows the very steep termination and form typical of liddicoaties from this locality. There are some chips, but it's a very good reference from the locality.

A very large, black liddicoatite tourmaline from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites.  This one is just solid black, but this is the locality that is famous for producing the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  This crystal shows the very steep termination and form typical of liddicoaties from this locality. There are some chips, but it's a very good reference from the locality.

A very beautiful, zoned tourmaline crystal from Madagascar.  This one has dark phantoms and a pink cap.

A very beautiful tourmaline crystal from Madagascar.  This one is a purplish-pinkish-yellow. Contacted on the bottom and some on the back.

A very beautiful, zoned tourmaline crystal from Madagascar.  This one is a purplish-pinkish-green color, though it needs strong lighting (as in the pictures) to be fully appreciated

A very beautiful, zoned tourmaline crystal from Madagascar.  This one is somewhat interesting, it has a yellow cap (a somewhat rare color for tourmaline) with a purplish-pink midsection and a darker base.  There is some contacting on the back.  It needs strong lighting to be fully appreciated.

A nice bicolored tourmaline with green and pink zones.  As with all of these, the more lighting, the better the color.

A beautiful, terminated (and rather gemmy) liddicoatite tourmaline with excellent color from Anjanabonoina.

A nice thumbnail sized specimen of gemmy (unusually so, for Madagascar) hambergite.  The bottom is a mixture of etching and crystal faces, not a break or contact.

A 5.20 ct bicolored tourmaline from Anjanabonoina.  While it has some obvious internal clarity issues, I immediately noticed it because of the insanely sharp boundary between the color zones.  Most bicolored tourmalines cut from Brazilian or Nigerian material are cut along the C axis (the length of the crystal) resulting in a longer finished stone-- and a color gradient that shifts gradually, as is usually the case with rough from those locations.  In this case, I strongly suspect the crystal was cut perpendicular to the length of the crystal--Anjanabonoina is famous for its tourmaline slices, these derive their color contrast from successive generations of outward tourmaline growth.  Most of that material is far too fractured to turn into a faceted stone (so it is sliced) but this bit of rough (while still somewhat included) was much cleaner than usual-- clean enough to produce a decent finished product.  In any case, I found the sharp contrast fascinating, and it's a really interesting piece.  It measures 11.6x 8.4x 5.9 mm.