Mixed Minerals
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The Weisseck area is well-known for producing fluorites with good quality for the last years. This specimen comes from a special pocket found some years ago. Most of the bigger specimens I have seen are broken or trimmed on the back side, but this specimen is alos fully crystallized at the back. As the group is pretty thin, it does not need as much light as the bigger crystals, to show the very intense purple color.Currently in the A. Watzl Sr. collection.
Berbes Mining area, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Size: 10.2 x 7.3 x 5.8 cm
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Considering how beautiful these fluorites from the Berbes mining area can get it is unfortunate that the mines are no longer active and deeply buried unter debris. This is an unusually fine exemplar from a brighter period that features a rich number of purple fluorite cubes on a background of sparkling white quartz and ivory barite. The Fluorites are up to 1.5 cm on edge, glassy and lustrous with gorgeous surface structures! The crystals are almost colorless near the surface but are filled with a purple color that gets more and more satiated the deeper it gets. A rarity that's very nice to look upon and in outstanding condition!
Erfurter Steig, Rauris, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 21.6 x 12.2 x 9.5 cm
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This monstrous 3.5 kg piece of massive quartz is miraculously in almost perfect condition with a flawless tip. Even the bottom, which is completely crystallized and not broken or even contacted, is virtually perfect. The quality ranges from translucent to transparent with striking luster at the front and a backside that has some characteristic iron oxide and limonite to it. An impressive specimen in surprisingly well condition and of great quality!
Ras Koh Mts., Kharan, Balochistan, Pakistan
Size: 3.7 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm
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This epidote specimen is from a recent find in the western Pakistani Mountains that revealed a completely unique and highly aesthetic "bow tie" shape. Sprays of dark green, lustous epidote form this sharp clusters in a just lovely way.
This is basically a very strong and thick singly "bow tie" cluster, distinctively developed and with a bright luster! It is free of any damage, only a at the bottom you will find some contacted remainder of a second crystal which is not at all visible from the front. Very much striking and characteristic for this new find!
Kongsberg Silver Mining District, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway
Size: 4.5 x 3.6 x 1.2 cm
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A classic miniature specimen of solid silver from Kongsberg. The single claw-like structure that protrudes from the top defines the distinctive shape and makes the piece unique and attractive. A interplay of oxidised silver on the outer surface and bright shiny zones in countless cavities brings the piece to live as if there was some inner glow! A nice classic piece without any downsides!
Zard Mts., Kharan, Balochistan, Pakistan
Size: 7.3 x 4.9 x 3 cm
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It's a rather natural matrix that features a single main anatase on the right and a group of quartz crystals on the left side. This arrangement very much emphasizes the anatase which is a sharp and highly lustrous crystal. With strong direct illumination you can see a strikingly blue zone towards the termination and gemmy brown patches further down. This 1.1 cm main crystal is accompanied my several anatase micro-crystals, scattered over the rock surface.
Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia
Size: 14.3 x 12.4 x 12 cm
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This is a beautiful matrix specimen of calcite with great aesthetics. It is very 3-dimensional in person and very showy from all around.
San Antonio Mine, Viloco, Loayza, La Paz, Bolivia
Size: 8.5 x 4.7 x 3.7 cm
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Black cassiterite crystals are sharing this specimen with metallic arsenopyrite crystals in a nice harmonic way. Glass quartz needles and some smaller siderite add a nice contrast and perfect this fine combination-piece. This piece is a sparkling beauty as all of these minerals are of finest quality with wonderful luster and free of any damage. While a smaller part at the back is contacted, around three thirds of the specimen are crystallized and offer a brilliant view. Stunning from a mineralogical standpoint - remarkably beautiful most certainly!
Morro Velho mine, Nova Lima, Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Size: 8.2 x 6.1 x 2.3 cm
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Lovely colorless and translucent dolomite crystals are adorned with second generation tabular pyrrhotite and small acicular cubanite. The backside is simple grey rock but with some attached pyrrhotite that must have grow after the piece detached. A very nice and attractive specimen of rare material from the world's oldest gold mine that shut down in 2003 after 278 years of mining!
Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
Size: 13.7 x 11.6 x 6.2 cm
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This excellent large cabinet sized specimen shows an association of colorful fluorites and milky white, highly lustrous quartz. The fluorite comes as glassy cubes with green at the center and purple along the edges. A very nice combination that stands out among the white quartz. The quartz itself shows brilliant luster and is sharply developed. What is special are well defined phantoms inside the quartz! The whole specimen is in excellent condition with some edge-wear on the quartz but no actual breaks. Very good and very attractive in person!
Val Nalps, Vorderrhein, Tujetsch, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 7.9 x 5.5 x 3.4 cm
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The calcite in this specimen comes as a three-dimensional arrangement of very thin transparent tabular crystals with great luster! The elegance of this cluster is absolutely lovely and rare in such considerable size. Condition is overall very good with only some hardly discernible wear. Have a look on the video for a better look on shape and quality of this lovely calcite specimen!
Mibladen, Midelt, Khenifra Province, Morocco
Size: 4.9 x 4.4 x 2.6 cm
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This rare crystal habit instantly reminds me of a fossile or maybe of a leaf reflecting the sunbeams. There is one small damaged zone at the right side of this specimen not visible from the front and minor over all. The rest is in brilliant condition. As a floater there are crystalls on all sides with colors ranging from orange to red and brown on the backside. Condition, quality and the mentioned crystal habit are making this an astounding mineral specimen. Totally appealing and of unique elegance.