This dynamic cluster of Amethyst has crystals directed in several different directions, making it eye-catching. There is a bit of "smoke," in the primary crystal, which adds additional character to the piece. Crystals from this area are often misidentified as being from "Brandberg, Namibia," which is actually a deposit within a nature preserve in the same district. The Goboboseb mountains, in the Erongo region from which this cluster was found, is know for its remoteness, as the nearest water source is over 35 kilometers away. Near the base of the cluster, are needles of hematite, which occur occasionally in Quartz from this deposit. It is in excellent condition, with only the back-projecting crystal having been broken in the pocket and rehealed. 

DIOPSIDE1 - Diopside
$ 195.00 (=~ AUS$ 302.82) SOLD
Merelani Mine, Lelatema Mountains, Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 1 x 1 x 1 cm

Gem Diopside crystals from the Tanzanite mines in Tanzania are a relatively new item on the market. They tend to be small, with the best quality ones being bright green and glassy. This gemmy diopside has an electric "glowing" green that is so striking. It has a wonderful multi-face termination, brilliant color and internal clarity as well. This piece will add great color to your display. It weighs 1.35 grams (over 6.5 carats). An impressive article about this deposit was printed in the Mineralogical Record in September-October 2009 (the "Tanzanite Issue").

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DIOPSIDE2 - Diopside
$ 195.00 (=~ AUS$ 302.82) SOLD
Merelani Mine, Lelatema Mountains, Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.2 x .8 x .5 cm

Gem Diopside crystals from the Tanzanite mines in Tanzania are a relatively new item on the market. They tend to be small, with the best quality ones being bright green and glassy. This piece has an excellent, rich color. It is nearly an inch long and has a smaller crystal that has joined the primary that adds character to the overall crystal. It weighs 1.7 grams (8.5 carats). An impressive article about the deposit was printed in the Mineralogical Record in September-October 2009 (the "Tanzanite Issue").

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SERANDITE1 - Serandite with Aegirine
$ 175.00 (=~ AUS$ 271.76)
Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
thumbnail - 1.7 x 2 x 1.2 cm

This lovely Serandite is a floater crystal, and has an embedded Aegerine in the top that adds contrast to this richly colored mineral. For its size, this piece is top notch. The mines in Mont St. Hilaire are all closed, and sadly pieces such as this one are irreplaceable. It comes in a thumbnail box, with its original hand written label, assembled by famed thumbnail collector Wendy Melanson of Hawthorneden Inc.

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CUPRO1 - Cuproadamite
$ 395.00 (=~ AUS$ 613.41) SOLD
Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
miniature - 2.6 x 3.5 x 2.1 cm

This was the best piece in a high-grade lot of about 40 pieces I acquired, shortly after it was mined. The rare production occurred, following the drought in Mexico (fall of '08) that lowered the water level in the Ojuela Mine below the Adamite level for the first time in about 20 years. I love this piece as it shows saturated, green color in a primary, large crystal. This main crystal has an unusual four sided form, that you don't see in the ordinary variety of Adamite. There is a sharp contrast between the glassy green, copper rich adamites and the brown Limonite matix. The primary crystal is 1.8 x 1.3 cms. An unusual and hard to find specimen.

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TOURM2 - Tourmaline var. Elbaite
$ 265.00 (=~ AUS$ 411.53) SOLD
New Santa Rosa Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet - 5.6 x 1.1 x .75 cm

This Tourmaline exhibits a neat progression of green turning into blue (verdelite into indicolite). Two individuals are joined alongside, both are terminated well. It was mined in the last year at the Santa Rosa, one of Brazil's few working tourmaline mines. It weighs 10.4 grams

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ADAMITE2 - Adamite on limonite
$ 295.00 (=~ AUS$ 458.11) SOLD
Level 5, Mina Ojuela, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
small cabinet - 7.2 x 6 x 3 cm

This Adamite is bright and shiny. It exemplifies the pleasant contrast between the yellow Adamite (measures 4.5 x 3 cms) and the earthy red tone of the Limonite. This piece was mined in the autumn of 2008, when a prolonged drought made the water level within the Ojuela mine drop to expose the Adamite level. These levels had faced flooding since the late 1970's. Since then, these same levels have not been reached and production has been virtually nil. 

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LINAR1 - Linarite, Galena on Quartz
$ 45.00 (=~ AUS$ 69.88) SOLD
Sunshine #2 Mine, Hansonburg Mining District, Bingham, New Mexico
miniature - 3.5 x 2.5 x 1.6 cm

This is actually Anglesite and Brochantite psuedomorph after Linarite, however there is also Linarite on Galena present. Sound complex? It comes out of the John Rakovan collection (professor of geology at Miami of Ohio in Oxford), his label is included (pic #3). John spent a lot of time and numerous studies at this locality, and is quite the expert. 

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SIKHOTE1 - Sikhote-Alin Meteorite
$ 125.00 (=~ AUS$ 194.12) SOLD
Sikhote-Alin Mountains, Eastern Siberia, Russia
miniature - 5 x 4 x 1.7 cm

This iron meteorite fell on Feb. 12, 1947 in the Sikhote-alin Mountains of Eastern Siberia, Russia. It is the largest observed meteorite fall in history, with over 23000 kg raining down on the earth in the form of iron shrapnel and the more rare individual fallen meteorites such as this one. It is covered in regmaglypts, the indentations that give the piece contours. I put this piece away, back when this meteorite was readily available on the market. A couple years ago, the Russian government has made it difficult to export, and diggers I knew said there was almost nothing left to find. It weighs 49.6 grams. 

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