Rosell Minerales

Very rich specimen formed by aggregates of prismatic crystals of mimetite, transparent, forming sheaves and divergent growths. The yellow-orange color and luster make them stand out on a matrix with romobohedral calcite crystals. A classic from the 1960s to 1970s.

Size: 5.5 x 3.7 x 3.3 cm.
Main crystal: 2 mm.
Found in ca. 1970's.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Exceptional specimen of opal, fire opal, with an intense orange to reddish color, with brilliance and transparence observed since it is an opal nodule with two light inputs. All light. It is enclosed in a very hard rhyolitic matrix. These are sometimes also called as "jelly opals" due to their unique color and waxy luster. This specimen was acquired by Joan Astor, at the end of the 80s, from the well-known Enric Kucera (Barcelona), a great connoisseur of Mexican mines. A gem.

Size: 5.7 x 4 x 3.3 cm.
Found in ± 1988.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Fine aggregates of bright and translucent gillespita, strawberry red. In a matrix of white sanbornita that contrasts with the color. Gillespita is a rare barium and iron phyllosilicate. This is a very rich, colorful and excellent piece for the species.

Size: 6.3 x 3.6 x 3 cm.
Found in ±1990

Col. R. Vochten.
Fluorescent under short wave UV

A well-balanced spray of doubly terminated amethyst crystals from the famous Guerrero locality. An aesthetic cluster of colored amethyst crystals, representing fine color from this deposit, in crystals which are still gemmy and translucent. Small nicks on terminal faces, only visible under magnification. Not easy to find nowadays. Ex. Trigo collection.

Size: 7.9 x 1.8 x 1.5 cm.
Found in ±1993.

Col. A. Trigo, Mataró.

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.

Stibiconite species totally replacing a stibnite crystal, very elongated, with multiple terminations and partially covered by scalenohedral calcite crystals with staggered growths. A classic of Mexican mineralogy. It belongs to the former Joan Astor collection (Barcelona) with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Size: 8 x 1.4 x 0.9 cm.
Found in ±1976.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

A very ancient specimen showing a quartz matrix with carbonates and pyrite crystals. Covered with thin boulangerite needle-like crystals. Very brilliant and dotted with calcite or dolomite colourless rombohedrons. The original handwritten label of the Astor collection, dated in 1978, indicates it comes from Concepción del Oro, but we believe we can say it is from the Mazapil area, a locality very close to Concepción. In those years, geographical themes were not so determined. Adquired in a very "old mineral shop" in Plaça Reial square, Barcelona.

Size: 6.9 x 5.5 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 1.2 cm.
Found in ±1978.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.

Group of quartz crystals, of the amethyst variety, the main one is very elongated. Very transparent, with defined faces and edges, and with a delicate and uniform purple color. From the former Trigo collection, from Mataró (Catalonia), with its handwritten label.

Size: 7.2 x 3 x 2.5 cm.
Found in ±1993.

Col. A. Trigo, Mataró.

Rich specimen of parasymplesite from this classic Mexican mine. Several divergent aggregates of prismatic to tabular parasymplesite crystals, with a light green color on the surface and a very dark green, almost black, color inside. They are disposed on a goethite matrix with cavities layered by small honey-colored arseniosiderite crystals and adamite. This specimen belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

Size: 6.5 x 5.4 x 3.2 cm.
Main crystal: 3 mm.
Found in ±1977.

Col. J. Astor, Barcelona.
Classic locality

Natanite is a rare iron and tin hydroxide. It shows octahedral crystals truncated at their vertices by the faces of the cube. In this aesthetic specimen we can observe some very well defined, transparent crystals with an intense yellow color. They stand out on a matrix with brilliant rhodochrosite crystals. An exceptional sample for the species and the locality. Although the best specimens of natanite have been found in the Potosí mine, the type locality for the species is in the former Soviet Republics of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Size: 3.4 x 3.2 x 1.5 cm.
Main crystal: 1 mm.

This esthetic floater gypsum specimen shows rosette shapes on larger crystals in parallel growth. Very defined, brilliant and with a delicate pink tone still visible. These specimens were more pink when collected but over time that hue has faded. Very fluorescent, with yellow and orange tones. The label indicates that it is from Mexican Baja California, but I am sure it is from Guerrero Negro. A magnificent specimen with many years. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten. It was acquired in 1976 from Bailey Minerals (Ángel Jesús Talabán García, Segovia 1942-Madrid 2007).

Size: 9.5 x 5 x 3.4 cm.
Found in ±1976.

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

Group of very brilliant wulfenite crystals with an intense orange color, with zoning. They stand out on a matrix of calcite. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

Size: 5.2 x 5 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 7 mm.
Found in ±1975.

A good sized floater crystal of grossular, with a delicate pink color, brilliant (not very common), with very well defined faces of the dodecahedron. This piece comes from the former J. Astor collection, acquired in 1974 from Bailey Minerals (Ángel Jesús Talabán García, Segovia 1942-Madrid 2007). With labels. A hard-to-find classic.

Size: 3.4 x 2.8 x 2.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1974.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Floating crystal of vesuvianite, defined faces, doubly terminated, with an intense olive color. It is labeled as coming from Lago Jaco, although it must be said that the garnets and vesuvianites attributed to Lago Jaco come from the Sierra de Cruces (incorrectly Sierra de la Cruz or Sierra de las Cruces), Sierra Mojada municipality, Coahuila, Mexico. Acquired by J. Astor from the Geology Museum of Barcelona in the early 70s, with labels.

Size: 2.8 x 2.1 x 1.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1973.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Ojuelaite is a very rare zinc and iron arsenate named after the world famous Ojuela mine (Mexico), its type locality. The species, which belongs to the arthurite group, was accepted by the IMA in 1982 and is isostructural with whitmoreite. It is found in the oxidation zone of the Ojuela deposit, associated with scorodite, adamite and / or smithsonite.
In the article published by Cesbron, Romero and Williams [La mapimite et l'ojuélaïte, deux nouveaux arséniates hydratés de zinc et de fer de la mine Ojuela, Mapimi, Mexique. Bulletin de Minéralogie 104, 582-586. (1981)] two new minerals were described, mapimite and ojuelaite. The studied specimens were obtained thanks to the well-known Mexican mineralogist Don Manuel Romero.
In this specimen, ojuelaite is associated with natropharmacosiderite-pharmacosiderite, as shown by the XRD attached. The arsenopyrite matrix is partially covered by aggregates of natropharmacosiderite-pharmacosiderite crystals, with a green color, brilliant and with cubic shapes. The ojuelaite of this specimen is showing radial fibrous aggregates, with a silky luster and yellow color. We will send the analyzes to the buyer. Former Marcus J. Origlieri collection.
We can say that this specimen is among the best worldwide for this species, due to its size, richness, aesthetics and quality.

Size: 10 x 7.6 x 2.9 cm.
Main crystal: 3 mm rad. aggr.

Coll. Marcus J. Origlieri.
Type Locality

Old specimen of boleite showing a group of crystals, two of them predominant, with brightness and intense color. They are accompanied in matrix by malachite and atacamite. This sample was acquired by Joan Astor to Jordi Fabre in 1986. We keep the labels of the Astor collection and the former Jordi Fabre label. From the type locality.

Size: 5.4 x 4.8 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 0.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1986.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona).
Type Locality

Group of very sharp cubic crystals of fluorite, very transparent, colorless, brilliant and in staggered growth. It presents certain very curious inclusions. Minos matrix of galena. Very aestetic. From the former Trigo Collection (Mataró).

Size: 3.3 x 3.3 x 3.1 cm.
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Group of very acute scalenohedral calcite crystals, well defined and with a brown colour due to inclusions. Thanks to some of these crystals that show exfoliation, we can observe that it has been formed in the final stages of their growth. From the A. Trigo collection (Mataró).

Size: 6.6 x 4.5 x 4.2 cm.
Main crystal: 1.8 cm.
Found in ca. 1996.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

An interesting piece has gone back into the old work at the classic Choix locality and is pulling out some first-class smithsonites of blue, lavender and pink. From the collection of A. Trigo (Mataró).

Size: 4 x 3.5 x 1.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Globular aggregate of good size of smithsonite crystals. Very brilliant, translucent and with some goethite as a matrix. From this classic Mexican mine. It belongs from the A. Trigo Collection (Mataró).

Size: 3.9 x 3.5 x 2 cm.
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Group of prismatic fluorapatite crystals, with faces of the prism and the hexagonal dipyramids. The transparence and brilliance areexcellent and the yellow color is very intense. This specimen was photographed in some books that Joan Astor published in issuu [online page 86]. It is accompanied in the matrix with hyaline opal aggregates. It was acquired in 1980 from Bailey Minerals (Ángel Jesús Talabán García, Segovia 1942-Madrid 2007). A very aesthetic and good size piece.

Size: 8 x 5 x 4 cm.
Main crystal: 2 cm.
Found in 1970-80's.

Col. Joan Astor.

Very aesthetic specimen of fluorite. It shows the cubic shape, with polysynthetic growths on faces. The color very uniform, a delicate violet tone, with geometric zoning on edges, more intense. Excellent brilliance, transparence and very well defined faces and edges. An exceptional piece from Santa Eulalia and the Joan Astor collection, acquired by this great Catalan photographer and collector at the EXPOMINER Barcelona mineral show in 1981.

Size: 5.2 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 2.4 cm.
Found in 1980's.

Col. Joan Astor,

Colorful specimen of arsenatian vanadinite crystals, in aggregates of hexagonal prismatic crystals, with hopper cavities on the pinacoidal faces. Intense shine, orange to brown, with zoning, transparent to translucent crystals. They stand out on a white matrix of calcite. An excellent specimen of this Mexican mine.

Size: 6.5 x 5.3 x 4.8 cm.
Main crystal: 6 mm.
Found in ±1989.

Classic locality

Fine aggregates of bright and translucent gillespita, strawberry red. In a matrix of white sanbornita that contrasts with the color. Gillespita is a rare barium and iron phyllosilicate. This is a very rich, colorful and excellent piece for the species.

Size: 5.4 x 4.5 x 2.5 cm.
Found in ±1990.

Col. R. Vochten.
Fluorescent under short wave UV

Mimetite Mexican specimens from Ojuela mine (Durango) and Potosí mine (Chihuahua) are the best considered by collectors. Currently those of Ojuela abound, but those of Potosí, with isolated crystals and globular aggregates like this specimen, are more rare to see. They stand out for their intense yellow-green color in some area and on a matrix of rhombohedral crystals of calcite.

Size: 5.6 x 4.7 x 2.3 cm.

Col. Manchion (Barcelona).