DIP1 Dioptase 

Altyn Tjube, Karganda Oblast', Kazakhstan (Type Locality)

11.0x 8.1x 4.2 cm

$285

A large cabinet dioptase from the type locality.  The crystals reach 1.1 cm, and all show the characteristic deep green color.  The pictures do not do it justice, you cannot really see the individual crystals, as you would be able to in person. 

DIP2 Dioptase 

Altyn Tjube, Karganda Oblast', Kazakhstan (Type Locality)

10.8x 4.0x 3.4 cm

$200

A large cabinet specimen, with hundreds of bright green dioptase crystals on matrix. 

DIP3 Dioptase 

Altyn Tjube, Karganda Oblast', Kazakhstan (Type Locality)

7.3x 6.0x 4.2 cm

A cabinet dioptase specimen with several well defined crystals to 1.1 cm.  I am not certain of the identity of the colorless crystal in the close-up, but my guess is fluorite. 

KHA1 Khaidarkanite
Khaidarkan  Sb-Hg deposit, Fergana Valley, Osh District, Kyrgyzstan
5.0x 4.6x 3.7 cm

A nice miniature of this very rare, and relatively new mineral from Kyrgyzstan.  Amazingly enough, rare as it is, it is quite aesthetic. There are patches of acicular khaidarkanite on two sides of this specimen.  

SCH1  Scholzite 

Reaphook Hill, Martins Well, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, Australia

5.2x 4.1x 2.7 cm

A very good miniature of this rare phosphate mineral from the locality that has arguably produced the best scholzite in the world.  There are numerous crystals going in all directions; unfortunately this is sort of difficult to see in the 2d pictures.

RHN1 Rheniite
KudriaviyVolcano, Iturup Island, Russia
3.5x 3.5x 2.7 cm

A nice miniature specimen with many bright rheniite crystals on a lava matrix.  I have two more that will be posted in the next update.

HASA1- Hydroxyl-Apatite 

Sapo Mine, Goiabeira, Aimores, Minas Gerais, Brazil

3.2x 1.1x 1.1 cm

A very good thumbnail of hydroxyl-apatite on albite from a recent find that was first made available at Munich 2005.  These were originally marketed as "carbonate apatite", a possible new species, until the carbon content was discovered to be the result of an oil coating that had been applied by the Brazilian miners.  More recent tests have shown them to be specimens of some of the world's best hydroxyl-apatite. 

WULF1  Wulfenite

Los Lamentos, Mexico

6.0x 4.5x 3.9 cm

$48

A nice, blocky, 1 cm on edge crystal of wulfenite from this classic locality.  

CHAT1  Chalcocite 

Dzerkazghan Oblast', Kazakhstan 

3.2x 2.3x 2.3 cm

$68

A very beautiful miniature, with a 1.6 cm chalcocite crystal on matrix.  Like other chalcocites from this locality, it is slightly weathered and has a blue-green patina.

CHAT2 Chalcocite 

Dzerkazghan Oblast', Kazakhstan

3.6x 3.7x 2.6 cm

$55

A miniature specimen with a, exceedingly sharp, .85 cm chalcocite crystal on matrix. .

WULF2  Wulfenite

Level 7, La Campana Vein, Mina Ojuela, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico

4.6x 3.1x 3.2 cm

$38

A typical specimen from this mine, with bright green, botryoidal mimetite and hundreds of small orange wulfenite crystals. 

ZIR1 Zircon, Aegirine

Mt Malosa, Zomba, Chilwa Alkaline Area, Malawi

3.5x 2.7x 1.6 cm

Several very sharp zircon crystals, all terminated, on a cluster of aegirine (also all terminated). There are also a couple small double terminated quartz crystals with albite.

FUJ1 Garnet var. Spessartine

Tongbei, Yunxiao, Zhangzhou Area, Fujian Province, China

4.5x 3.8x 1.7 cm

$58

Numerous bright orange spessartine garnets on a nicely contrasting white (granite?) matrix. 

PBAR8 Barite 

Cerro Warihuyn, Mir Aflores Huamlalias
Huanuco, Peru

6.2x 5.7x 4.1 cm

$385

An example of one of the better pieces from the find, this crystal measures 5.7 cm across,  is completely undamaged, and is perched on a sandstone pillar.  The crystal is translucent, as can be seen from the backlit picture. 

PBAR4 Barite 

Cerro Warihuyn, Mir Aflores Huamlalias
Huanuco, Peru

4.5x 3.2x 3.2 cm

A nice miniature, with a 3.6 cm sharp, and completely undamaged barite crystal on a sandstone matrix.  The zoning is most likely the result of sand inclusions.  This is from a new find, made within the last year. 

PBAR5 Barite 

Cerro Warihuyn, Mir Aflores Huamlalias
Huanuco, Peru

2.8x 2.7x 2.0 cm

$48

A very good thumbnail from this find, with a 3.6 cm  sharp barite crystal perched on a pillar of sandstone. The zoning is most likely the result of inclusions of sand. 

Quartz var. Amethyst.

Las Vigas Mine, Veracruz, Mexico

5.7x 5.2x 5.8 cm
$48

Three sharp and undamaged amethyst crystals on matrix.  The small amounts of epidote in the matrix contrast well with the color of the main crystals.  For more information on this locality, see the November-December 2003 issue of the Mineralogical Record.