Rosell Minerales

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

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

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.

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

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).

Erythrite tabular crystals, with intense purple colour and brilliance. About matrix.

Size: 3.8 x 2.8 x 1 cm.
Found in ca. 1987.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).

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

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.

A really interesting good size and gemmy fluorapatite crystal. We can observe perfectly the combination of the first and second order prisms; very sharp terminal faces, with first order hexagonal dipyramid. A specimen to enjoy crystallography and aesthetics.
Crystal shows excellent brilliance, transparence and a vivid yellow color with green tones. The specimen is from a Moroccan classic mine located in the Imilchil mountains area.

Size: 2.6 x 1.3 x 1.2 cm.
Found in ca. 2012.

Classic locality

Druse of quartz crystals, milky to hyaline at the tips, with a certain reddish hue. It comes from a Moroccan locality unknown in collections, located in the Boulemane area, north of Aouli. Formed in volcanic rocks.

Size: 8.2 x 7 x 5 cm.
Main crystal: 0.8 x 0.7 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Hemispherical aggregate of smithsonite crystals, of good size, luster and with a very curious orange-brown color. On the label of the A. Trigo (Mataró) collection it indicates that he bought this specimen from a Moroccan dealer (1989) as "tornuisite", a term for which we have not found references, unless it was wrongly confused with "tarnowizite". Touissit specimens of globular smithsonite are known but rare.

Size: 5.6 x 4.5 x 3 cm.
Found in ca. 1989.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Group of cubic fluorite crystals, with good brilliance, transparence and a very characteristic green color. From this classic Moroccan mines. With the label of the former collection Trigo (Mataró).

Size: 4.7 x 3.5 x 2.7 cm.
Main crystal: 2.2 cm.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

These specimens of manganite partially replaced pyrolusite, come from a locality not yet described in the mineralogical bibliography. This deposit is located in the province of Boulemane, in the Fez-Meknés region, about ten kilometers from the well-known Aouli mines. It is a formation very similar to that of Imini (near Ouarzazate). These manganese deposits, both in Imini and in the Boulemane area, were formed in a karst system. Associated with shallow marine dolomites of the Cretaceous age and that currently form sub-horizontal mantles cutted by erosion, overlaping areas of volcanic rocks. Manganese minerals are found in dolomite breccia and ferruginous clays. We have carried out X-ray diffraction studies showing us the presence of both species: manganite and pyrolusite.

Size: 7.8 x 4 x 2.5 cm.
Main crystal: 3 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Analyzed specimen with report

These specimens of manganite partially replaced pyrolusite, come from a locality not yet described in the mineralogical bibliography. This deposit is located in the province of Boulemane, in the Fez-Meknés region, about ten kilometers from the well-known Aouli mines. It is a formation very similar to that of Imini (near Ouarzazate). These manganese deposits, both in Imini and in the Boulemane area, were formed in a karst system. Associated with shallow marine dolomites of the Cretaceous age and that currently form sub-horizontal mantles cutted by erosion, overlaping areas of volcanic rocks. Manganese minerals are found in dolomite breccia and ferruginous clays. We have carried out X-ray diffraction studies showing us the presence of both species: manganite and pyrolusite.

Size: 6.3 x 2.5 x 2.4 cm.
Main crystal: 1.2 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Analyzed specimen with report

These specimens of manganite partially replaced pyrolusite, come from a locality not yet described in the mineralogical bibliography. This deposit is located in the province of Boulemane, in the Fez-Meknés region, about ten kilometers from the well-known Aouli mines. It is a formation very similar to that of Imini (near Ouarzazate). These manganese deposits, both in Imini and in the Boulemane area, were formed in a karst system. Associated with shallow marine dolomites of the Cretaceous age and that currently form sub-horizontal mantles cutted by erosion, overlaping areas of volcanic rocks. Manganese minerals are found in dolomite breccia and ferruginous clays. We have carried out X-ray diffraction studies showing us the presence of both species: manganite and pyrolusite.

Size: 7 x 4 x 3 cm.
Main crystal: 1.8 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Analyzed specimen with report

These specimens of manganite partially replaced pyrolusite, come from a locality not yet described in the mineralogical bibliography. This deposit is located in the province of Boulemane, in the Fez-Meknés region, about ten kilometers from the well-known Aouli mines. It is a formation very similar to that of Imini (near Ouarzazate). These manganese deposits, both in Imini and in the Boulemane area, were formed in a karst system. Associated with shallow marine dolomites of the Cretaceous age and that currently form sub-horizontal mantles cutted by erosion, overlaping areas of volcanic rocks. Manganese minerals are found in dolomite breccia and ferruginous clays. We have carried out X-ray diffraction studies showing us the presence of both species: manganite and pyrolusite.

Size: 8.4 x 5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 3.3 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Analyzed specimen with report

These specimens of manganite partially replaced pyrolusite, come from a locality not yet described in the mineralogical bibliography. This deposit is located in the province of Boulemane, in the Fez-Meknés region, about ten kilometers from the well-known Aouli mines. It is a formation very similar to that of Imini (near Ouarzazate). These manganese deposits, both in Imini and in the Boulemane area, were formed in a karst system. Associated with shallow marine dolomites of the Cretaceous age and that currently form sub-horizontal mantles cutted by erosion, overlaping areas of volcanic rocks. Manganese minerals are found in dolomite breccia and ferruginous clays. We have carried out X-ray diffraction studies showing us the presence of both species: manganite and pyrolusite.

Size: 5.3 x 4.5 x 2.7 cm.
Main crystal: 1.5 cm.
Found in 03/2020

Analyzed specimen with report

On a recent trip to this mining area, we found these new specimens with incredible aesthetics. They were found in a singular cavity, opened in the depths of a 24-meter well, in Coud'a shafts. They have a more than exceptional brilliance, probably due to a last phase of crystallization in which a thin layer of almost transparent vanadinite was deposited. Crystals are very well defined, with staggered axial growths in the prism and with color zoning, more orange than red. Contrasting on a solid rocky matrix. Vanadinites from the Mibladen area are well known worldwide and although we have seen many of them, they never cease to amaze us. Amazing specimens!

Size: 10 x 8.5 x 7 cm.
Main crystal: 1.2 cm.
Found in 02/2020.