The cuprites from the Rubtsovskiy Mine in Russia are widely considered the best ever found. The Rubtsovskly Mine is an operating copper mine, and the oxidation zone has produced Cuprites, Azurites, native copper, silver, and iodine minerals like Miersite. I have been following the production for the last two years, to better understand how these are unique and what pieces stand out from "the crowd." About 95+% of the production have damage of some kind to a corner or edge. This is largely due to the miners who when extracting crystals from the kaolin clay zone (which protects the Cuprites), they drop them into their pockets, and they get dinged. 

These two cuprite crystals have mostly been replaced by copper, but not entirely. It weighs 15.8 grams and is in excellent condition, no damage. 

TSAVORITE2 - Garnet Var. Tsavorite
$ 249.00 SOLD
Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mtns., Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 1.8 x 1.6 x 1.2 cm

Three gemmy green Tsavorites clustered together. No damage to the crystals, some contact on backside.Bright.3.0 grams/15 carats

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DIOPSIDE4 - Diopside
$ 195.00 SOLD
Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mtns., Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.5 x .6 x .5 cm

This diopside is from the first production. It has a deep apple green color, whereas later finds tend to be lighter in color. No damage. On the back there is a tiny contact spot, a thin layer of inclusion beneath the surface as pictured. This is rather large for the production.  1.5 grams/ 7.5 carats.

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DIOPSIDE5 - Diopside
$ 245.00 SOLD
Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mtns., Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.3 x 1.0 x .7 cm

Bright, light lime green. Recent production, this crystalis quite transparent, highly lustrous, no damage. 17 carats.

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DIOPSIDE6 - Diopside
$ 475.00 SOLD
Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mtns., Arusha Region, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.1 x 1.7 x 1.1 cm

This beautiful fat Diopside is bright, gemmy and facet grade. It has embedded graphite on one side that adds a pleasant contrast to the otherwise brilliant faces and sharp edges. 28.8 carats. Damage free except for a very tiny chip out of the backside edge (less than 1 mm, needs a loupe to see it). Remember apple flavored Jolly rancher candy? 

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OPAL13 - Opal (rough and cut)
$ 195.00 SOLD NET
Shoa Province, Ethiopia
thumbnail - 2.0 x 1.9 x .7 cm

The polished piece weighs 4.0 carats, the rough piece weighs 2.4 grams/12 carats. I matched the fire using numerous "reserve," quality pieces of rough. The fire in both pieces exhibits red, yellow, green and orange fire. 

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GOLD10 - Gold with Quartz
$ 475.00 SOLD
Star of the West Mine, Central City, Gilpin Co., Colorado
thumbnail - 2.6 x 1.1 x 1.0 cm

Attractive, aesthetic crystallized gold specimen with small quartz crystals embedded within the gold crystals. No damage. Comes with a Miner's Lunchbox label (collector had purchased this in the mid to late 1990's).

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GOLD11 - Gold
$ 365.00 SOLD
Kittitas Co., Washington
thumbnail - 1.5 x 1.3 x 1.6 cm

A beautiful variety of crystallization within one piece. Ex. Hauk Collection (no label)

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GOLD12 - Gold
$ 235.00 SOLD NET
Sacramento River, Redding, California
thumbnail - 1.1 x .9 x .5 cm

Beautiful grapelike gold specimen. Beautiful piece. 1.6 grams

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GOLD13 - Gold w/ Arsenopyrite
$ 375.00 SOLD NET
Diltz Mine, Bear Valley, Whitlock District, Maricopa County, California
thumbnail - 1.5 x 1.1 x .85 cm

The Diltz Mine is located Five Miles Northwest of the town of Mariposa, California. The town of Mariposa which is 30 miles from Yosemite National Park is the Southern beginning of the Mother Lode Gold Belt. Bright and attractive. Classic location, ex Irv Brown (no label) 1.4 grams 

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