Rosell Minerales

Variscite is a hydrated aluminum phosphate present in different Catalan deposits found in the Catalan Coastal Mountain Ranges. Well-known sites are those of the Serra de Miramar, in Tarragona; Bruguers, Gavà and Cerdanyola in Barcelona, along with the well-known site of Montcada i Reixac, close to the city of Barcelona. Less well known are the deposits in the northernmost area of these mountain ranges, between Malgrat de Mar and Pineda de Mar area. This specimen comes from the Malgrat area and was found in surveys near Can Palomeres. The variscite vein shows a green color with yellow to whitish tones. It is included in slates with other phosphates such as phosphosiderite and strengite. We can observe so-called ptygmatic folds produced by the entry of a viscous fluid (variscite) into a less viscous one.

Size: 10 x 7.2 x 6.2 cm.
Main crystal: 1.1 cm. vein/veta
Found in 2018.

A really good sized specimen in which we highlight various orange willemite crystals, the main one is doubly terminated. They are included in rhodochrosite and on a matrix with franklinite crystals. This specimen is from the Renaud Vochten collection. The intense fluorescence of willemite stands out with a yellowish-green emission under short-wave ultraviolet light. Renaud F.C. Vochten (8 December 1933 - 29 July 2012), professor of mineralogy at the State University of Antwerpen (Belgium), with a species dedicated: vochtenite [link].

Size: 11.1 x 7.5 x 6.7 cm.
Main crystal: 1.8 cm.
Found in ca. 1989.

Col. Renaud F.C. Vochten (Bélgica).
Fluorescent under short wave UV

Really good sized hydrozincite specimen from this classic Spanish mine, with botryoidal forms and beige tone. The specimens with these sizes are difficult to see today. This one comes from the A. Arguijo collection. The Hermosa or Sel del Haya mine was a lead and zinc exploitation whose activity was carried out mainly between 1855 and 1932, although in the decade from 1950 to 1960 some important works were carried out. Settled on dolomitic limestone from the Aptian, the main mineralization comprises lead and zinc, the latter being the most important, both in the form of carbonates and sulphides [link].

Size: 15 x 13 x 11 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

Col. A. Arguijo (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat).
Classic locality

Small particles containing grains of native aluminum, an extreme rarity. In the images we can see that they are associated with magnetite. They most likely contain akdalaite, an oxide hydroxide of aluminum, which we have not confirmed due to the limitations of the electron microscopy technique. We will send report to the buyer.
The Bulla or Boulla is a mud volcano on the island of the same name, in the Baku archipelago, a few km SE of the city of Baku. The most intense eruptions occurred in 1857 and 1940, when erupting breccia volumes reached a few million cubic meters. The most interesting mineralization (native metals, akdalaite) is related to the ejection of the 1947 eruption.

Size: 1.8 x 1 mm.

Analyzed specimen with report

Siderite rhombohedral crystals, flattened, bright and defined. They have a honeyed to golden colour, with a second generation of smaller crystals. They are disposed on a matrix. Siderite specimens from this Catalan mine are uncommon.

Size: 7.4 x 6.8 x 4.6 cm.
Main crystal: 0.9 cm.

Col. J. Povill (Olesa de Montserrat).

Colourful specimen of cobaltoan dolomite, with intense color, brilliance and translucent crystals. Very aesthetic. From the J. Astor collection (Barcelona).

Size: 4.1 x 2.6 x 2.4 cm.
Found in ca. 1987.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

Very aesthetic specimen of goethite, with stalactitic growths, brightness and zoned iridescences of reddish, greenish, pink, yellow reflections... A very aesthetic piece of this classic locality. From the J. Astor collection (Barcelona).

Size: 5.3 x 3.3 x 2.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

Azurite crystal of intense color and brightness, disposed very aerially on a matrix with dolomite crystals and yellow-green concretions of beaverita-(Cu). This sample was acquired in 1989 by Joan Astor from Enrique Kucera, a well-known mineral dealer in Barcelona.

Size: 5.6 c 3.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 1.3 cm.
Found in ca. 1989.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

Really fine specimen for this rare species. The balangeroite is a magnesium, iron anfd manganese silicate, only found in a few places worldwide. The serpentine Poggio San Vittore quarry, which were the best samples has been found and it is the type locality for the species, is abandoned since 1990. The mineral usually appears included in the serpentine matrix and only few fibers are aerial. In this specimen, fibers are totally aerial and with a good length.

Size: 4.2 x 4 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 3.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1985.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).
Type Locality

Sphalerite gemmy quality crystals, transparent, shiny and some sprinkled with pyrite. A real gem of this Gipuzkoan mine, nowadays flooded.

Size: 4 x 3.2 x 1.4 cm.
Found in ca. 1991.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

Radiating crystals of gedrite, almost black, included in a metamorphic rock matrix.

Size: 4.7 x 4.1 x 3 cm.
Main crystal: 1.2 cm.

Sample with native bismuth and yellowish bismutite. From a classic Spanish locality.

Size: 3.5 x 2.8 x 2.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1973

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

On a rich group of rosettes of rhodochrosite, with a pinkish tone and a silky luster, there are various crystals of tetrahedrite, defined, brilliant and contrasting on the matrix.

Size: 6.7 x 5 x 3.2 cm.
Main crystal: 3 mm. Td
Found in ca. 1985.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

Stalactitic limonite and goethite specimens from Benalmádena (Málaga) have a remarkable aesthetic due to their orange colors, with dark tones... This specimen shows very marked stalactitic growths. From the Astor collection (Barcelona).

Size: 7.7 x 5.4 x 3.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1983.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

This sample shows various aggregates of lanceolate tabular stilbite crystals, with luster and transparence. They are disposed on an upholstered matrix of small crystals of the same species and prismatic crystals, slightly greenish and transparent, of fluorapophyllite- (K).

Size: 9.5 x 7.3 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 2.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1986.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

A very rich group of sharp metatorbernite crystals showing tetragonal forms, an intense green color and good luster. It shows polysynthetic and echeloned growths. In some crystals we can observe a yellowish tones in the core which corresponds to metaautunite (fluorescent under UV light). A French mineralogy classic not seen since late 70's.

The walls of the fissures of this mine were covered by smoky quartz crystals. When samples are mined and pull out of the mine, a partially dehydratation occurs (from 12 to 8 H2O molecules) and torbernite become metatorbernite species. Margabal specimens can be classified as metatorbernite.

Size: 4 x 3.4 x 1.7 cm.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona), ex. J. Viñals.
Presents radioactive activity.

Group of very sharp metatorbernite crystals with an intense green grass color, showing the combination of the first and the second order dipyramids, truncated by pinacoidal faces. Its intense color gives a nice contrast with the white quartz matrix. Large open cast mines ans small prospects of kaolinite with some quartz veins in which torbernite crystals have been found. We could say that this locality is included in the most worldwide important torbernite localities due to the crystal quality, size and multiple habits.

Size: 5.9 x 4.5 x 2.2 cm.

Presents radioactive activity.

Group of very sharp metatorbernite crystals, one of them predominant, with an intense green grass color, showing the combination of the first and the second order dipyramids, truncated by pinacoidal faces. Its intense color gives a nice contrast with the white quartz matrix. Large open cast mines ans small prospects of kaolinite with some quartz veins in which torbernite crystals have been found. We could say that this locality is included in the most worldwide important torbernite localities due to the crystal quality, size and multiple habits.

Size: 6.7 x 3.9 x 2.3 cm.
Main crystal: 5 mm.

Presents radioactive activity.

Group of very sharp metatorbernite crystals, with an intense green grass color, showing the combination of the first and the second order dipyramids, truncated by pinacoidal faces. Its intense color gives a nice contrast with the white quartz matrix. Large open cast mines ans small prospects of kaolinite with some quartz veins in which torbernite crystals have been found. We could say that this locality is included in the most worldwide important torbernite localities due to the crystal quality, size and multiple habits.

Size: 5 x 3.5 x 2 cm.
Main crystal: 2 mm.

Presents radioactive activity.

Group of tarnowizite crystals, a variety of aragonite with a certain lead content, very characteristic of this Moroccan locality. Bright and with well-defined crystals on a galena matrix. An old piece belonging to the Astor collection (Barcelona).

Size: 5.8 x 3 x 2.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1996.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Gurimite is a very rare and chemically simple species. It is a barium vanadate, but in this sample we can observe the presence of P, very common on V minerals. This sample is from the type locality, the Gurim Anticline, in Israel. Aproved in 2013 and published in 2017. Specimen analyzed by Dr. M. Murashko. IMA2013-032. For extrem systematic collectors...

Size: 1.1 x 0.9 x 0.4 cm.

Ex. M. Murashko specimen.
Analyzed specimen with report

Makatite is a very rare sodium silicate. In this excellent specimen, it presents a good size aggregate formed by fine fibrous makatite needles, shiny and soft to the touch, on the matrix. It is accompanied by small but very transparent crystals of a pinkish to reddish villiaumite (NaF). Very representative for the species and the locality. Analyzed.

Size: 3.3 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm.
Main crystal: 1.3 cm aggreg.
Found in 1994.

Analyzed specimen with report

Analyzed crystal of lueshite, from the Type Locality. Lueshite is a rare sodium niobate. These samples came out only sporadically, and mostly 20-plus years ago. In this specimen it shows the presence of Ca and Ti, probably minor fersmite. Analysis will be sent to the buyer.

Size: 0.9 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm.

Type Locality

Tabular metazeunerite crystals, of a pale green color, forming aggregates in a cavity of the matrix. On one of these aggregates, an aggregate of pale yellow methanováčekite crystals is disposed. It belongs from this classic Moroccan mine. The uranium-rich zone (vein 2) of the quarry had been covered.

Size: 3.9 x 3.2 x 1.9 cm.
Found in ca. 2006.

Presents radioactive activity.

Aggregates of metatyuyamunite crystals, with an intense yellow to orange colour, accompanied by malachite radial agregates and yellow laminar carnotite.

Size: 7.3 x 3.3 x 3.3 cm.

Presents radioactive activity.