Rosell Minerales

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.

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

In this sample we can observe bright and aesthetic aggregates of lanceolated foliaceous hydromagnesite crystals, forming rosettes, of an intense white color, although they are colorless. All of them are arranged on a rock matrix. A Catalan piece that is difficult to find today, with rare species and with quality. Collected by Joan Astor in march, 1976.

Size: 6.2 x 4 x 3.5 cm.
Found in ±1976.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.

Aggregates of brilliant and transparent baryte crystals, with a slightly yellow tone. They are accompanied by small crystals of sphalerite, with complex forms, and galena. It comes from the Mines d'Osor, currently closed and from which it is impossible to obtain these specimens. The mine closed in 1979 and had eleven levels, with a 290 meter deep shaft. You can still see the ruins of the old facilities and the well from which sphalerite, galena and fluorite were extracted and treated.

Size: 8.6 x 5.4 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 7 mm.
Found in ±1975.

Col. L. Daunis (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Group of analcime crystals, faceted and translucent to transparent. They are disposed on a rocky matrix partially covered by small prismatic prehnite crystals. From a currently restored quarry.

Size: 7.7 x 6.5 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 6 mm.
Found in ±2017.

This specimen of goethite after pyrite from Pedrera Berta (El Papiol, Barcelona) shows several cubic crystals completely transformed into goethite and limonite. Very brilliant and with fluorite on matrix. A classic of this mine, nowadays not easy to find. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 6.6 x 5.8 x 2.6 cm.
Main crystal: 6 x 6 mm.
Found in ±1975.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

On this classic matrix from Pedrera Berta (quarry), with quartz, fluorite, pyrolusite... we can observe some cavities in which some small but brilliant rhombohedral smithsonite crystals stand out, with a golden color. Viewed under magnification they are really aesthetic to take a "microphoto". They are accompanied by malachite aggregates. Collected by the well-known Catalan mineral collector Manuel Moreno "Manolo" and from the Joan Astor collection, with labels.

Size: 8.6 x 5.2 x 3.5 cm.
Found in ±1974.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

Probably čechite specimens from the "Rasa de l'Alzina" open pit works could be considered between the best crystals for the species worldwide. They are brilliant, black color and show a tabular shape defined by different order orthorhombic prisms and developed pinacoidal faces. They are disposed on a fluorite matrix. This finding is close to the Maria Magdalena mine, near of the beautiful town of Ulldemolins (Tarragona, Catalonia).
SEM-EDS and EPMA analysis show that, in some cases, on the čechite crystal surface we found copper content, but inside the crystal is near to pure  PbFe2+(VO4)(OH), with minor Zn(II). In most specimens from other localities the presence of manganese is important, but these specimens are Mn free.

Size: 5 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm.
Found in ±2017.

Analyzed specimen with report

An old piece, showing prismatic cerussite crystals, of a snowy white color and brilliance. Striated faces of the prism and disposed by the matrix. Fluorescent under LW-UV light. The specimens of this classic Catalan mine located in the Vall de Ribes, Catalan Pyrenees, are impossible to find on the mine (almost disappeared) and are only seen in collections from years ago. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label, collected by himself on 1978, october.

Size: 6.5 x 6.2 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 5 mm.
Found in 1978.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Fluorescent under long wave UV

Aggregates of palygorskite fibers, of an intense white color, shiny. It is identified as coming from the Núria valley, in the Catalan Pyrenees, at the foot of the Puigmal mountain. A classic locality where this mineral appeared between limestone rocks. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

Size: 9.3 x 4.5 x 2 cm.
Found in ±1975.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

And why not? A very brilliant piece of talc from this classic Catalan mine. In the surroundings of the locality of La Vajol there are a series of talc mines that were exploited until 1994. One of the curiosities of these talc mines, close to the France border, is that they were the hiding place, for a time, of the treasure of the Spanish Republic on the route of the main leaders of the Spanish Republic and the Generalitat de Catalunya to exile in 1939, at the end of the Spanish Civil War. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

Size: 9 x 6.5 x 2.4 cm.
Found in ±1975.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

Evansite specimens from Santa Creu d'Olorda are a classic of Catalan mineralogy. In this specimen we can see an amorphous mass of this aluminum phosphate with an intense green color and a vitreous luster. It is disposed on a graphite-bituminous shale matrix.

Size: 7.6 x 3.8 x 3.6 cm.

Classic locality

Druse of very well defined cubic fluorite crystals, transparent to translucent, with luster and a slightly greenish blue color. They are accompanied by small crystals of calcite. From this classic Catalan mines. Acquired by Joan Astor from Joan Montplet, a well-known mineral dealer from Sant Celoni, close to the Montseny massif.

Size: 4.5 x 4 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 1.3 cm.
Found in ca. 1979.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Many years ago, these crystal aggregates were classified as brushite, but later analysis indicated that it was hydroxylapatite with carbonate groups. Fluorapatite is not common in Bruguers. These globular aggregates are disposed on an upholstered matrix with bright green microcrystals of montgomeryite. The matrix is goethite. From the J. Astor collection, formerly col. Jordi Pi, well-known nature and geological landscape photographer and mineral collector (Barcelona).

Size: 4.2 x 4.1 x 2.9 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

Col. Joan Astor & Col. Jordi Pi (Barcelona)

Aesthetic miniature of fluorite crystals of a greenish hue with geometric violet colour zoning. Partially covered by various aggregates of hyaline quartz crystals, peppered by small globular hematite that gives them a reddish hue. A piece from this classic Catalan mine, from the J. Astor and collection. by L. Daunis.

Size: 3.8 x 2.9 x 2.3 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

Col. Joan Astor, Col. Daunis (Barcelona).
Fluorescent under long wave UV

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.

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).

Druse of fluorite crystals with octahedral forms. Intense green color on a matrix of the classic granodiorite from this Catalan mine.

Size: 7 x 4.5 x 3.2 cm.
Main crystal: 0.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1997.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

In this piece, three very interesting magnesium species, two hydroxilcarbonates and one hydroxide coexist. On the one hand we observe some aggregates of foliaceous crystals of dypingite, forming rosettes, white color, although they are colorless. They are accompanied by sheaves of flattened crystals of hydromagnesite. All of them are disposed on a rock matrix with blue to gray brucite. A Catalan piece that is hard to find today, with unusual species and quality.

Size: 6 x 5 x 3.2 cm.
Found in 1970's.

Col. Manchion (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Globular aggregates formed by lamellar crystals of theisite. With a bluish to green color and brilliance. On a dolomite matrix with barite and chalcopyrite. This mineral species is the second citation in Spain. Theisite is a rare copper and zinc arsenate-antimonate that has been described for the first time in this mine in the Catalan Pyrenees. Accompanied by several azurite, transparent, bright, well-defined and some doubly terminated. Analysis results will be sent to the buyer.

Size: 8.6 x 5.5 x 3.5 cm.
Found in 2013.

Analyzed specimen with report

These rare specimens of actinolite correspond to those cited by L. Thomas (Els Minerals de Catalunya, year 1920) and E. Bareche (Els Minerals de Catalunya, Segle XX, year 2005: "Where it really appears in large quantities is inside the well they made near the creek in the mines of Can Serrat, road from Hostalric to Arbúcies, in the district of Sant Feliu de Buixalleu. It is shiny, greenish in color; we collected and kept specimens that were examined by Don Ramón Adan de Yarza, which confirmed our identification". It is a skarn formed by the contact of the granodiorites and the limestone of the Paleozoic. From the former Arguijo collection.

Size: 7 x 6 x 5 cm.
Found in 1970's.

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

Hydromagnesite specimens from "Pedreres de l'Àngel" (Angel quarries), in Gualba (Barcelona), are a classic for the Catalan mineralogy. In this specimen we can observe some aggregates formed by radiated crystals, some of them of good size (more than 2 cm.), others smaller (up to 8 mm), very brilliant. Nowadays impossible to be found... This mines are a skarn due to contact metamorphism of Hercynian granodiorite and biotite granite into Cambrian marbles.

Size: 9.4 x 6.5 x 3.5 cm.
Found in 1980's.

Col. Arguijo (Barcelona).
Fluorescent under long wave UV

A specimen of this classic Catalan locality, with several interpenetrated cubic crystals of yellow fluorite, translucent and very defined. They are accompanied by calcite crystals and tiny chalcopyrite crystals. They are partially covered by a thin layer of illite, which we have preferred to leave to preserve the original aesthetic of the specimen. On a quartz matrix with feldspar.

Size: 6.2 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 9 x 8 mm.
Found in 10/1986.

#109 Col. Manchion (Barcelona).

Group of octahedral fluorite crystals, of intense green color and in stepped growths. From the classic Berta Quarry, in which it is now totally forbidden to extract minerals.

Size: 2.8 x 2.4 x 1.8 cm.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

These specimens of banded flint were collected decades ago in the area of El Brull, in the Montseny massif, and identified as agate. They appear in nodules and veins, embedded in a siliceous limestone, presenting bands of gray tones, between light to dark gray. These kind of striped flind are well know in jewelery, and very appreciated. It is a unique curiosity of the Catalan mineralogy of many years ago.

Size: 7.0 x 6.0 x 5.9 cm.
Found in 1960's.