Rosell Minerales

Rich group of dolomite rhombohedral crystals, very well defined faces and edges, with luster on the faces not covered by a thin patina of dolomite with a more brown tone. Presents some exfoliated crystal, when mined. A piece of good size and aesthetics from this classic Spanish locality.

Size: 9.5 x 8 x 7 cm.
Main crystal: 2.3 cm.

Col. Manchion (Barcelona).
Classic locality

From this locality you could find samples in the market, but with a group of interpenetrated crystals, rather few. A curiosity...

Size: 6 x 5.3 x 2 cm.

Huge size gypsum twinned crystal from a classic Spanish locality. From the Manchion collection (Barcelona).

Size: 13.2 x 6 x 3 cm
Found in 1986.

Classic locality

This old specimen, of which supplier didn't had no more info about its original owner, was accompanied by a label where we can read: "Goethite pseud. Magnesite". Consulting the works "Minerales de España" by Salvador Calderón (1910) and the modern version of Miguel Calvo (2009), they mention the presence of pseudomorphic substitutions of goethite (limonite) after siderite in this Aragonese locality: Ojos Negros mines. They preserve the rhombohedral form or, less commonly, as "(...) lenticular pseudocrystals or in the form of short prisms with a hexagonal section and rounded faces that can exceed one centimeter in length (...)" (Calvo, 2009).
Therefore we can deduce that what we are showing is one of these curious pseudomorphs of goethite after siderite or magnesite. A good sized specimen, full of crystallographic history, chemistry and a classic Spanish locality.

Size: 11.5 x 6.0 x 4.8 cm.
Main crystal: 22 x 17 mm.

Classic locality

Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.
In this specimen we can see a cavity within the flint matrix in which has developed a faceted celestine crystal. Honey to yellowish tone, very sharp, brilliant and with an exceptional transparency.

Size: 6.5 x 6.0 x 5.8 cm.
Main crystal: 9 x 5 mm.
Found in 2012.

Probably one of the best celestine specimens I've seen in this locality. Very aerial, with really good size and showing well defined faces and edges. Honey color, intense with certain zoning and an excellent transparence. Facetted by the pinacoid and various rhombic prisms. The cavity is completely covered by small quartz crystals, brilliant, between hyaline to amethyst. A definitive first quality specimen from Azaila, nearly impossible to find.

Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.

Size: 9.2 x 7.8 x 5.2 cm.
Main crystal: 12 x 8 mm.
Found in 2012.

Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.

In this specimen we can observe a big cavity. It contains a group of well formed celestine crystals with color zoning between honey to colorless and nice transparence. Very rich in faces, they show pinacoidal faces close to rhombic prisms. The cavity is completely covered by small quartz crystals, brilliant, between hyaline to amethyst. A great specimen.

Size: 10.8 x 8.0 x 4.0 cm.
Main crystal: 8 x 3 mm.
Found in 2012.

Celestine specimens from Azaila are recognized in the mineralogical world for its beauty, intense color and richness of facets. In the area of Azaila-Lécera we can find good size nodules and nodular levels of silexites. Most of these nodules are compact, but at certain levels appear cavities with gypsum and quartz crystals (sometimes amethyst). In very few of these cavities we can find celestine crystals. Large crystals are usually imperfect. Today it is very difficult to get good specimens from this Aragonese locality.

In this specimen we can observe a line of cavities. The main vug contains a rich group of well formed celestine crystals, one of them with a very good size, with a very marked honey tone and nice transparence. Very rich in faces, it shows pinacoidal faces close to rhombic prisms. The cavity is completely covered by small quartz crystals, brilliant, between hyaline to amethyst. A great specimen more than representative.

Size: 9.5 x 7.5 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 10 x 4 mm.
Found in 2012.

A classic Spanish specimen not easy to find today. These crystals from Ariño were collected many years ago and today it is really difficult to find them as mines have been abandoned. This specimen belongs to a private collection and the owner extracted it in the 90s.
Crystal stands by its size, transparency and carbonaceous inclusions. In certain areas it shows forms of natural redisolution.

Size: 12,7 x 5,2 x 2,7 cm.
Found in 1990's.

A very rich marcasite specimen covered by a layer of small but very sharp and brilliant crystals, with metallic reflections between gold and greenish tones, with iridescence.

These marcasite crystals show tabular forms and the Sperkise twin (from the German Speerkies –Speer: spear and Kies: rock-. It has been used as a synonym for marcasite specimens). This twin is characterized by being formed by 4 or 5 crystals cyclically disposed around a central axis parallel to c.

Size: 4,2 x 5,5 x 9,3 cm
Main crystal: 1,5 x 1,5 mm
Found in 02/2011