Rosell Minerales

Globular aggregates of prehnite crystals, dull luster and light green. From a Spanish locality not well represented in collections.

Size: 7.3 x 5.0 x 2.7 cm.
Found in 2006.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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.

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

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

Group of water-clear gypsum crystals, one of them dominant and with a good size. They show a magnificent luster and transparency and very well defined edges and faces. Disposed very aerial on a white alabaster matrix covered by small gypsum crystals. In this specimen we can observe some phantom growths in the main crystal and a marked swallowtail twin. Very interesting and representative.
Under short and long wave ultraviolet light sources these specimens show intense fluorescence and long live phosphorescence. Selenite specimens from Fuentes de Ebro quarries have been considered the best ones worldwide.

Size: 4,8 x 4,0 x 2,1 cm.
Main crystal: 33 x 13 mm.
Found in 1980's.

Fluorescent and phosphorescent under long wave UV

Group of water-clear gypsum crystals, one of them dominant, near to doubly terminated and with a good size. They show a magnificent luster and transparency and very well defined edges and faces. Disposed very aerial on a white alabaster matrix covered by small gypsum crystals. In this specimen we can observe phantom growths in the main crystal and a marked swallowtail twin. Very interesting and representative.
Under short and long wave ultraviolet light sources these specimens show intense fluorescence and long live phosphorescence. Selenite specimens from Fuentes de Ebro quarries have been considered the best ones worldwide.

Size: 5,3 x 5,2 x 5,0 cm.
Main crystal: 38 x 14 mm.
Found in 1980's.

Fluorescent and phosphorescent under long wave UV

Group of water-clear gypsum crystals, one of them dominant and with a good size. They show a magnificent luster and transparency and very well defined edges and faces. Disposed very aerial on a white alabaster matrix covered by small gypsum crystals. In this specimen we can observe a marked swallowtail twin in one of the crystals and defined terminal faces in others. Very interesting and representative for the best display.
Under short and long wave ultraviolet light sources these specimens show intense fluorescence and long live phosphorescence. Selenite specimens from Fuentes de Ebro quarries have been considered the best ones worldwide.

Size: 7,0 x 6,8 x 5,5 cm.
Main crystal: 42 x 15 mm.
Found in 1980's.

Fluorescent and phosphorescent under long wave UV

In this specimen we can observe different groups of pyromorphite crystals showing hexagonal prisms, some of them truncated by the pinacoid and others more acute. The green tone is presented in some crystals with good transparence and color zoning, while others are almost colorless.
In the town of Munébrega were worked some mines where sulphosalts were exploted. Currently they are collapsed. A specimen from a not common Spanish locality.

Size: 5,8 x 3,0 x 2,8 cm.
Main crystal: 4 x1 mm.

An aesthetic specimen consisting of bladed, cream colored baryte crystals in parallel growth forming semi-rosettes book shaped, with a tiny bit of associated purple fluorite. With two minor From the collection of the long time, Josep Maria Manchion. 

Size: 8.6 x 6.6 x 4.5 cm.
Found in 1984

Col. J.M. Manchion (Barcelona) - No.100 (J. Viñals, 1984)

Exceptional group of cubic fluorite crystals with sharp faces and edges, matt brilliance and good size. It highlighted by the deep violet color, with marked geometric color zoning. An old piece from a classic locality for Spanish fluorite .

Size: 6.0 x 5.3 x 3.4 cm.
Main crystal: 41 x 38 mm.
Found in 1990's.

A very aesthetic specimen formed by several fluorite cubes with echelened and polysynthetic growths. Nice color and luminous. A different specimen from Berbes.

Size: 10.0 x 7.8 x 4.5 cm.
Found in ca. 2005.

Group of fluorite crystals showing sharp edges and cube faces with polysynthetic growths. Good color, intense between purple to violet, depending on the incident light and with geometric colour zoning.

Size: 7.5 x 3.7 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 3.7 cm.
Found in ±1980

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

Rich group of cubic crystals of fluorite, of intense color between violet and purple. They are disposed on a matrix of baryte, with tabular crystals in book shape, dull luster and zoned. Good size for display...

 

Size: 11.4 x 8.4 x 4.7 cm.
Main crystal: 22 x 22 mm.

Rich group of sharp violet fluorite crystals, with an exceptional transparency and cube forms. It is accompanied by quartz and aesthetic groups of baryte crystals. From a classic Spanish locality like Berbes.

Size: 8.5 x 6.2 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 5 mm.

A rich group of well-defined cubic crystals of fluorite showing polysynthetic growth on faces. Violet-purple color is very intense. Many of them are interpenetrating, giving the whole a unique aesthetics. From a classic Asturian locality.

Size: 8.8 x 6.2 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 13 x 12 mm.

Good size specimen with many years, from the mining area of Berbes. It is a "flag", near to a floater, totally covered with small quartz crystals. On them, on both sides of the piece, several cubic crystals of fluorite with polysynthetic growths, interpenetrated between them, but also isolated. Of intense violet color, between transparent and translucent. It is accompanied by aggregates of barite. A piece of quality from tha past times.

Size: 17.0 x 11.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 10 x 10 mm.
Found in 1980's.

Group of fluorite crystals, cubic shape, brilliance, transparence and violet colour with geometric zoning. Some of them presents minor nicks, without affecting the whole. They are accompanied by barite crystals partially covered by tiny, shiny quartz crystals.

Size: 8.6 x 8.4 x 5 cm.
Main crystal: 2 cm.

An esthetic specimen, cubic fluorite crystalsfluorite, with beveled edges, of blue to purple tone according to the incident light. They present some nips when extracted. Disposed on a matrix of baryte crystals covered by small brilliant quartz crystals.

Size: 7.6 x 5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 20 x 19 mm / 18 x 15 mm.