Rosell Minerales

A very rich group of sharp metatorbernite crystals showing tetragonal forms, an intense green color and good luster. It shows polysynthetic and echeloned growths. In some crystals we can observe a yellowish tones in the core which corresponds to metaautunite (fluorescent under UV light). A French mineralogy classic not seen since late 70's.

The walls of the fissures of this mine were covered by smoky quartz crystals. When samples are mined and pull out of the mine, a partially dehydratation occurs (from 12 to 8 H2O molecules) and torbernite become metatorbernite species. Margabal specimens can be classified as metatorbernite.

Size: 4 x 3.4 x 1.7 cm.

Col. J. Astor (Barcelona), ex. J. Viñals.
Presents radioactive activity.

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

These alluvial peble specimens of bahianite are a remarkable rarity due to the composition. It is the only known pure aluminum antimonate. Structurally related to simpsonite (Ta instead of Sb). It is normally found as rolled pellets in the Pico das Almas river, in Brazil. It comes from this type locality for the species.

Size: 8 x 6 x 5 mm.

Type Locality

From this classic German locality, Grube Clara, we get this specimen formed by aggregates of acicular crystals of sellaite, an unusual magnesium fluoride.

Size: 2.5 x 2.3 x 1.4 cm.

Classic locality

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

Tetrahedrite crystals from this Asturian mine are well known and prized by Spanish collectors. In this sample we have tetrahedral crystals, one of them predominant, in which the tris-tetrahedron shapes seem to point. Good size and partially covered by malachite. X ray diffraction analysis (we will send to the buyer) has shown the presence of digenite associated with the alteration of the tetrahedrite. A classic.

Size: 3.1 x 2.7 x 2.5 cm.
Main crystal: 1 cm.

Analyzed specimen with report

Bementite is a very rare manganese silicate, identified in the well-known Franklin mine (NJ, USA), where it has its type locality. This specimen comes from a mining area located in the central zone of the Pre-polar Urals, known for the manganese, rhodonite and magnetite mines. In this specimen we can observe aggregates of crystals with golden tones that stand out on the matrix. An opportunity for systematic collectors.

Size: 3.4 x 2.5 x 2.4 cm.

Excellent specimen of this rare potassium and zirconium silicate. It shows rich aggregates of hexagonal crystals, transparent to translucent, with an excellent brilliance. Colourless to slightly violet.They are disposed on a matrix of acicular aegirine crystals with a very dark green color, almost black. The Kukisvumchorr Mountains are in the central part of the Khibiny Massif. The area has a very interesting mineralogy, notable for its nepheline syenites.

Size: 4.2 x 3.5 x 2.8 cm.
Main crystal: 3 mm.

Pyromorphite specimens from the San Andrés mine in Espiel, Córdoba, have been known since the first half of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 80s of this past century several quality specimens were recovered from the mine. This specimen, due to the date on the label of the J. Astor collection (Barcelona), can be dated to this period. The specimen shows several pyromorphite crystals, of good size, brilliant, translucent, thick and with shapes of the hexagonal barrel shaped prism, with the characteristic color between green to yellowish-green. They fill a vug in the goethite matrix. A Spanish classic.

Size: 6 x 3.6 x 3.6 cm.
Main crystal: 0.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1983.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona)
Classic locality

Rich specimen formed by several aggregates of thick pseudo-hexagonal baryte crystals, with luster, white to yellowish colour, that stand out on a matrix of goethite. The baryte specimens from this Spanish mine are highly prized by collectors. This specimen belongs from the former J. Astor collection (Barcelona). With old labels.

Size: 8 x 5.5 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 0.8 cm.
Found in ca. 1996.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona)
Classic locality

Molybdenite specimens from Inca del Oro are very difficult to find in the market and more with defined crystals. This sample shows a very well defined, bright and well-disposed hexagonal crystal of molybdenite on the matrix. A unique opportunity to include to your collection a very representative and fine specimen for the species. It belongs from the former J. Astor collection (Barcelona). The locality of Inca del Oro is located between the Chilean provinces of Copiapó and Chañaral.

Size: 7.3 x 4.8 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 1.5 cm.
Found in ca. 1980's.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

Very interesting specimen of opal with opalescence of violet, blue, green colors that fill the fissures of a xylopal. Very aesthetic due to its arrangement in veins, contrasting with the sienna warm colors of fossil wood. This Australian locality is known for opalized pineapples. Specimens from this locality are difficult to find.

Size: 10.6 x 3 x 2.5 cm.
Found in ca. 1983.

Col. Joan Astor (Barcelona).

A classic banded opal from Australia, with violet, green, blue colors. With a good exposed surface showing opalescence. It comes from the A. Trigo collection.

Size: 4.8 x 4 x 2.1 cm.
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Very glassy opal specimen, with excellent transparency and yellowish bands. From an unusual area of Russia for this variety of quartz. It was acquired by A. Trigo (Mataró) in 1983, in Expominer Mineral Show (Barcelona).

Size: 4.5 x 3.9 x 1.5 cm.
Found in ca. 1983

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

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

An extremely glassy opal specimen, transparent to translucent, with bluish to golden tones. An excellent specimen of opal from this classic American locality. It shows some fluorescence under ultraviolet (LW) light. An old piece from the A. Trigo collection (Mataró).

Size: 4.7 x 4.1 x 1.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1991.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).
Fluorescent under long wave UV

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).

Groups of aggregates of rhodochrosite crystals, of a delicate pink color, brilliant. They are accompanied by colorless aggregates of small quartz crystals. Very aesthetic.

Size: 5.6 x 4.1 x 2.2 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).

Good size sample of the meteoric impact that took place aproximately 49,000 years ago in this remote area of Arizona. The impact crater stands out, where more than 30 tons of material have been collected since was discovered in 1891. It is a metallic, iron-nickel meteorite, classified as coarse octahedrite. Contains taenite (Fe, Ni) and mostly iron, kamacite variety (Fe, Ni). Weight: 23 grams.

Size: 3.3 x 27 x 1.2 cm. 23 g.
Found in ca. 1997.

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).

Glendonite is the name given to the pseudomorphic calcite after ikaite. Ikaite, a hexahydrated calcium carbonate, was first observed in nature in the 1960s, at the seabed of the Ikka Fjord in Greenland. There, it precipitates due to the mixture of cold water submarine springs (3°C) rich in carbonates with seawater. Ikaite deposits are not usually found due to its poor stability, however, sometimes the rapid conversion of ikaite to calcite and water results in the generation of pseudomorphic calcite aggregates in the shape of the ikaite crystal (so-called glendonites). These calcite pseudomorphs directly replace ikaite above 4ºC.

Size: 6.1 x 2.2 x 1.7 cm.
Found in ca. 1995.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).

Good sized fluorite crystal from this classic North American mine. It shows the cube shape with staggered growths on one edge, along with polysynthetic growths on the faces. Translucent to transparent, bright and with a violet tone that shows geometric color zoning, more intense on the edges. With a minor "matrix" of sphalerite.

Size: 5 x 4.1 x 2.6 cm.
Main crystal: 4 cm edge/arista
Found in ca. 1988.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).
Fluorescent under long wave UV

Aesthetic specimen of calcite crystals that form this semi-globular aggregate, with luster. It is accompanied by a small matrix with quartz and chalcopyrite crystals. A classic from the Romanian mine of Boldut; from the A. Trigo collection (Mataró). It shows an intense fluorescence under LW-UV light.

Size: 5.5 x 5 x 2.9 cm.
Found in ca. 2005.

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró).
Fluorescent under long wave UV

Globular aggregates of prismatic natrolite crystals, with well defined terminal faces. It comes from a locality well known for its zeolites. Nowadays this Cape Grim area is restricted access due to wind turbines field. From the former A. Trigo Collection (Mataró).

Size: 6 x 5.5 x 2.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1985

Col. Antonio Trigo (Mataró)