Rosell Minerales

Very bright corundum crystal, var. ruby, very well defined and pink to brown in color. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 1.6 x 1.5 x 0.7 cm.
Found in ± 1973.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Classic ruby specimen, cherry to pink in color, embedded in a matrix of zoisite and micas. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 2.7 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm.
Found in ± 1974.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Old specimen of a good size formed by a matrix partially covered by small but brilliant crystals of duftite, a lead and copper arsenate, with a deep green color. They are accompanied by prismatic crystals of mimetite, between white and yellowish, together with crystals of cerussite. An entertainment under the magnifying glass. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and typewritten box.

Size: 8 x 4.2 x 2.4 cm.
Found in ± 1974.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Brilliant aggregate of tabular azurite crystals with this intense and characteristic color. A very aesthetic specimen of this classic Moroccan town. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona) who acquired it from Marçal Llòria, from "Lloid-Material de Ciencias Naturales", a well-known Barcelona mineral seller.

Size: 4.3 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm.
Found in ca. 1980's.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Group of skutterudite crystals, intense luster and well defined faces and edges, showing cube, octahedron and dodecahedron shapes. They are accompanied by white calcite with which they contrast. It belongs from this classic Moroccan mine and from the Joan Astor collection.

Size: 5.2 x 4.1 x 2.8 cm.
Main crystal: 7 mm.
Found in ± 1976.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

An aesthetic malachite aggregate, showing fibrous crystals, intense colour, with zoning, and good luster. On a matrix with dolomite small crystals. A very aesthetic specimen from this classic Moroccan mines

Size: 9.5 x 6.8 x 6.5 cm.
Found in 02/2013.

Specimen formed by two cerussite crystals of a more than considerable size. They show the cyclic twin, with staggered growths. At the vertex of the largest crystal we can see the twin clearly. They are not shiny and have a rough crystalline surface on the back, but they are exceptional for their size and crystallography. They are disposed on a small baryte matrix.

Size: 8 x 6.5 x 4.9 cm.
Main crystal: 5.4 cm.
Found in 10/2017.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

Good size specimen of sodalite, with intense color. It is not polished, totally natural. From the former Daunis collection (Barcelona).

Size: 7.2 x 5 x 3.4 cm.

Col. L. Daunis (Barcelona).

This specimen stands out for showing arborescent growths of very well defined silver cubic crystals. In addition, the piece comes from a Moroccan mine from which few samples of this type and quality have been collected. To add more importance to the piece, it must be said that the calcite has been partially removed by mechanical procedures, without acids that could cause the silver to blacken. Well defined, extremely brilliant and isolated silver crystals are not very common, usually appear deformed or in complex growths. An excellent and good sized specimen.

Size: 5,2 x 5,1 x 3,2 cm.
Found in ±2018

Very rich specimen formed by several white (transparent) acicular crystals of picropharmacolite and pharmacolite, accompanied by velvety pinkish Mg-rich erythrite-hörnesite mixed with them. Some sinfeldite crystal aggregates are present. On matrix. Collected in Bou Azer mine in february 2018. Analyzed by SEM-EDS.

Size: 9 x 4.4 x 4.1 cm.
Found in 02/2018.

Classic locality

Very good size (15.5 cm) specimen of vanadinite, formed by several crystal aggregates, on both faces of the piece, on a solid matrix. Good brilliance, with some transparence. For display.

Size: 15.5 x 11.2 x 7.8 cm.
Main crystal: 1 cm.
Found in ±2001.

Classic locality

Vivianite specimens from Cameroon are a worldwide classic. This swampy lake basin contains clays in which aggregates of vivianite crystals were found. Some of them reach more than 2 meters in diameter, with individual crystals up to 1.35 meters. Nowadays not easy to find in the mineral market. This specimen is over 40 years old and remains stable. With deep green reflections. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 8.2 x 3.4 x 1.8 cm.
Found in ±1975.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

Groups of vanadinite crystals, isolated, very brilliant and with an intense color. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 10 x 4.8 x 4.6 cm.
Main crystal: 4 mm.
Found in ±1977.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.

Groups of octaedral magnetite crystals, some in staggered growth, with an excellent luster, very well defined faces and edges. They are disposed on a matrix of microcline crystals.

Size: 5 x 4.6 x 3.3 cm.
Main crystal: 5 mm.

Fan-shaped aggregates of epidote crystals with an intense green color and luster. They are accompanied by hyaline quartz crystals and fine olive green actinolite needles. A different specimen from this classic Moroccan locality.

Size: 8,6 x 6,5 x 5,2 cm.
Main crystal: 2 cm.

These specimens show yellowish nodules included in a feldspar matrix. First SEM-EDS analysis have yielded a phosphate of Th and Ca, with minor Pb. XRD has shown patterns of "bravantite", the old name for cheralite and brockite. The chemical base formula for these species are: grayite (Th,Pb,Ca)(PO4)·H2O; cheralite CaTh(PO4)2; brockite (Ca,Th,Ce)(PO4)·H2O. REE has not been found in EDS.
We could say that this yellow nodules belongs from altered monazite, formed by mixed species cheralite-grayite, with minor brockite. Accompanied in matrix by meta-autunite. We will send the full report.

Size: 5.3 × 3.7 × 3 cm.

Analyzed specimen with report

Very aesthetic aggregate of vanadinite crystals, labeled as arsenical. From this classic Moroccan town. From the Joan Astor collection, acquired at the 1979 EXPOMINER (Barcelona) mineral show.

Size: 5.5 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm.
Main crystal: 7 mm.
Found in ca. 1979.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Group of hyaline quartz crystals, very transparent, brilliant, with complex shapes due to polycrystalline and window growths. With orange inclusions. Very aesthetic and interesting specimens from a new Malagasy locality.

Size: 4.8 x 4.2 x 2.2 cm.
Found in 2018.

Curious parallel growth of quartz crystals in scepter. A very aesthetic miniature of a new locality in Madagascar.

Size: 3 x 1.5 x 1 cm.
Found in 2018.

Group of hyaline quartz crystals, very brilliant, one of them more developed and showing the scepter growth stands out. With polycrystalline growths. An aesthetic novelty from Madagascar.

Size: 3.8 x 2.7 x 1.8 cm.
Main crystal: 2.7 cm.
Found in 2018.

Aesthetic quartz specimen, very transparent and with orange inclusions. It shows a very curious window growths and some facets of the rhombohedron. These specimens come from a little-known locality. Really interesting.

Size: 4.3 x 3 x 1.9 cm.
Found in 2018.

Group of doubly terminated quartz crystals, very transparent and with orange inclusions. With prisms and terminal faces with very evident polycrystalline and window growths. These specimens come from a new not well-known locality. Very aesthetic and pure brilliance.

Size: 5.7 x 5.2 x 2.6 cm
Main crystal: 5.7 cm.
Found in 2018.

A good size specimen showing a group of cubic fluorite crystals, between translucent and transparent, with an intense green color with delicate dichroism under sunlight. The crystals are interpenetrated and show geometric color zoning and interesting and esthetic inclusions of white color. Very fluorescent under LW-UV and SW-UV. New locality for fluorite in Madagascar.

Size: 12 x 9.5 x 7 cm.
Main crystal: 3.6 cm.
Found in 2018.

Fluorescent under LW-UV and SW-UV lights

A good size specimen showing a group of cubic fluorite crystals, between translucent and transparent, with an intense green color with delicate dichroism under sunlight. The crystals are interpenetrated and show geometric color zoning and interesting and esthetic inclusions of white color. Very fluorescent under LW-UV and SW-UV. New locality for fluorite in Madagascar.

Size: 15.5 x 7.7 x 6.8 cm.
Main crystal: 2.2 cm.
Found in 2018.

Fluorescent under LW-UV and SW-UV lights

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).