Rosell Minerales

Doubly terminated quartz crystal of the Compostela hyacinth variety. In a gypsum matrix. It belongs from the former Joan Astor collection (Barcelona). The label indicates locality as Villar del Arzobispo (Valencia), a locality near Domeño.

Size: 6.5 x 5.2 x 3.9 cm.
Main crystal: 2 cm.
Found in ±1978

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.

These mines are near the Matagalls peak, in the Montseny massif, and they are also known as Matagalls mines. This sample shows us a matrix with fluorite on which an aesthetic group of book-shaped baryte crystals is disposed. These pieces appeared in the 80-90s of the last century. Nowadays it is very difficult to find good specimens.

Size: 9.3 x 6 x 5.6 cm.
Found in 1990's.

Group of interpenetrating fluorite crystals, with an intense coluor that varies according to the type of incident light. From this classic Asturian mining area.

Size: 6.1 x 4 x 3.5 cm.

Very good size specimen, formed by numerous very well defined orthoclase crystals. It was in this classic locality in the community of Madrid where, around the 70s, the Daunis-Ruscalleda family, well-known mineral prospectors and collectors from Barcelona, found quite a few very aesthetic specimens of orthoclase/microcline, accompanied by Enrique Kucera. This specimen is one of these ...

Size: 14 x 12 x 8.5 cm.
Main crystal: 2.3 cm.
Found in 1970's.

Col. L. Daunis (Barcelona).
Classic locality

A very good sized baryte specimen, formed by some thick tabular book-shaped crystals. From a classic Murcian locality.

Size: 11 x 8 x 7 cm.

A classic specimen of the famous, but difficult to find, twinned orthoclase crystals from this locality of Bohemia. A floating specimen with the Carlsbad twin. Well defined. There has been some debate as to whether or not Loket is the type locality for the Karlsbad twin habit of feldspar, as "Karlsbad" / "Carlsbad" is the old name for Karlovy Vary. More information on this can be found in  [mindat].

Size: 4.8 x 3.4 x 1.7 cm.
Found in ±1991

Col. A. Trigo (Mataró).
Classic locality

Floater aggregate of laminar molybdenite crystals. Very brilliant. A piece of a certain size for this classic Catalan mine. From the Trigo collection (Mataró).

Size: 3.4 x 2.7 x 1.5 cm.
Found in ±1984

Col. A. Trigo (Mataró).
Classic locality

Globular aggregates of brilliant prehnite crystals, with a very uniform green hue.

Size: 7 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm.
Found in ±2004

Col. A. Trigo (Mataró).

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

Very good size specimen formed by laminar aggregates of stibnite crystals. The San Antonio mine is located in the area called "Quinola" next to the road BA-5001 between the peoples of Alburquerque and The Codosera. This is an important antimony mine closed in 1986, and it was the largest mine of this metal in Spain and Europe. It belongs from the former Arguijo collection and dates from the 90s.

Size: 8.3 x 5 x 3.5 cm.
Found in 1990's.

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

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

In this specimen we can observe brilliant aggregates of brown transparent römerite crystals, a very rare iron sulphate. They are accompanied by coquimbite showing an intense violet color under fluorescent light or LED type. They're accompanied by yellow metavoltine/copiapite crystals, along with minor fibrous halotrichite. Note that under the magnifying glass we can navigate in a world of brilliant crystals, some of which of krausite species (yellowish to grey transparent). We left this identification pleasure to the collector. Regarding its environmental stability, this sample has been stored during more than eight years without further alteration.

Size: 7.2 x 6 x 5.5 cm.
Found in 03/2010.

This is an exceptional sulphur specimen, both for this Russian mine and for the perfection of the crystals. In a cavity of the matrix several very well defined and doubly terminated crystals of sulphur are disposed, clearly showing the dipyramidal faces of different orders. With brilliance, translucent to transparent. With another group of crystals, one of them predominant, on sample side. On a matrix with scalenohedral calcite crystals. Specimens of this mine and with this fine quality are more than difficult to see. A sample from the Astor collection (Barcelona). You can find more information about this locality at geo.web.ru.

Size: 6.6 x 6.5 x 5.2 cm.
Main crystal: 1.4 cm.
Found in ±1998

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Gypsum crystals from Piła are extremely rare in the mineral market. In this old specimen we have two twinned crystals with stacking very characteristic of the Polish deposit. Transparent, brilliant and defined. They present some small dent due to the softness of the species, without affecting the beauty and interest of the piece. With handwritten label.

Size: 4.8 x 4.6 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 2.9 x 2.6 cm.
Found in ±1989.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

Specimen formed by a crustof purple smithsonite, botryoidal, pink to lilac, with satiny luster and good translucence. A miniature sample of the old smithsonites from the classic Choix locality. With old label from the Trigo (Mataró) collection, where it indicates Durango and "cobaltoan" smithsonite. But the locality is Choix.

Size: 3.6 x 3.4 x 1.6 cm.
Found in ±1978.

Col. A. Trigo, Mataró.

A good size hyaline quartz crystal that shows an interior "ghost" that follows the geometry of the main one. Greenish in tone, probably due to a member of the mica group, fuchsite. These specimens are rare to see today.

Size: 5.7 x 2.2 x 1.6 cm.
Found in ±1985.

Col. A. Trigo, Mataró.

A very good size specimen formed by numerous lanceolated baryte crystals, with very good definition of faces and edges. Between transparent to translucent and with a yellowish tone with zoning. They are disposed very aerial on the matrix, with crystals of calcite and fluorite with honey tones. Fluorite is active under LW-UV light. An exceptional specimen for this classic Asturian mine.

Size: 12 x 11.7 x 11 cm.
Main crystal: 2.2 cm.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

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

Group of doubly terminated quartz crystals, with developed prisms and defined terminal faces, translucent. With interesting parallel growths. These specimens were collected in this A Coruña quarry that exploits quartz, one of the main mines in the world due to the quality and quantity of its reserves. The mine was discovered in 1968 by three Galicians who gave their name (from their surnames SEñarís, RAma and BALboa) to the concession and who found it while exploring these mountains in the Pico Sacro area in search of "seixo" (from the Galician: hard white rock) of good quality.

Size: 10.2 x 3.6 x 2.6 cm.
Found in ±2017.

Group of doubly terminated quartz crystals, with developed prisms and defined terminal faces, translucent. With interesting parallel growths. These specimens were collected in this A Coruña quarry that exploits quartz, one of the main mines in the world due to the quality and quantity of its reserves. The mine was discovered in 1968 by three Galicians who gave their name (from their surnames SEñarís, RAma and BALboa) to the concession and who found it while exploring these mountains in the Pico Sacro area in search of "seixo" (from the Galician: hard white rock) of good quality.

Size: 7.8 x 4.3 x 3.7 cm.
Found in ±2017.

Group of ferberite crystals of very good size, exceptional luster and well defined faces and edges. From this classic Portuguese mine. It belongs to the Arguijo collection.

Size: 7 x 5.3 x 4.2 cm.
Main crystal: 6.5 x 4.6 cm.
Found in ±1980.

Col. L. Arguijo, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Scholzite is a rare calcium zinc phosphate, with a type locality in Germany, although the richest and most aesthetic specimens have been found in this Australian mine. This sample shows us, on both sides, numerous aggregates of prismatic crystals, almost acicular, transparent and brilliant. They are accompanied by globular aggregates of chalcophanite (analyzed by SEM-EDS).

Size: 8.8 x 5.8 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 1 cm.
Found in ±1985.

Analyzed specimen with report

Specimen formed by aggregates of radial aragonite crystals, with very aesthetic bands of delicate blue color. This old specimen (1980s) is labeled as collected in Peñamellera, Asturies (Spain). Other specimens like this and from the same years where labelled as collected in this Asturian locality. A curiosity from the former Joan Astor collection (Barcelona). With original labelled box.

Size: 6 x 5.5 x 4.7 cm.
Found in ±1985.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

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