A huge size orthoclase crystal, showing defined prism and pinacoidal faces, with the karlsbad twin. We think it is glued on its place on the matrix, but it is not visible. Crystal is on this porphyry granite-adamellite, part of the potent dykes with large phenocrysts of potassium feldspar (orthoclase) of great perfection. A classic Spanish locality for the species.

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Group of prismatic crystals of amazonite, a variety of microcline. With defined faces of prisms and pinacoids. It has this characteristic bluish-green color. Pikes Peak is the "mecca" of the amazonites, one of several mountains formed by the erosion of the Pikes Peak batholith, famous for its myarolytic cavities with smoky quartz, amazonite, topaz, among others. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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Globular gyrolite aggregates, formed by radial crystals, brilliant, olive green in color. They are disposed on a matrix partially covered with quartz crystals. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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Aggregates of palygorskite fibers, of an intense white color, shiny. It is identified as coming from the Núria valley, in the Catalan Pyrenees, at the foot of the Puigmal mountain. A classic locality where this mineral appeared between limestone rocks. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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This specimen was classified as prehnite, according to the accompanying label. When in doubt, a Raman analysis was carried out. The results indicated that it was a calcite. But a calcite from the volcanic areas of Puerto Rico... It is a globular aggregate of scalenohedral crystals. An unusual curiosity to complete unusual locations in the collection. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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And why not? A very brilliant piece of talc from this classic Catalan mine. In the surroundings of the locality of La Vajol there are a series of talc mines that were exploited until 1994. One of the curiosities of these talc mines, close to the France border, is that they were the hiding place, for a time, of the treasure of the Spanish Republic on the route of the main leaders of the Spanish Republic and the Generalitat de Catalunya to exile in 1939, at the end of the Spanish Civil War. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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These cobaltite specimens from the Espanola area, Ontario, are a classic of Canadian mineralogy. They show brilliant cubic cobaltite crystals on a matrix with calcite. Good size for this locatlity. Sudbury District was a very active mining area and, in past times, one of the best places in the world for cobaltite specimens. However, even then, it was not easy to find these specimens on the market. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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.

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Druse of small prismatic brilliant olivenite crystals, olive green in color, transparent to translucent. They stand out on the quartz matrix. From this classic French mine. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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Group of bustamite crystals, of good size and an intense orange-brown color, with visible faces. They are included in a matrix with calcite and galena. They present the natural brilliance, with exfoliation on some parts, this piece has not been acidified. Calcite is very active under UV light, with an intense orange emission. It is not very common to find pieces of this species and locality. It belongs to the collection of Joan Astor, with a handwritten label and another typewritten.

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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.

Evansite specimens from Santa Creu d'Olorda are a classic of Catalan mineralogy. In this specimen we can see an amorphous mass of this aluminum phosphate with an intense green color and a vitreous luster. It is disposed on a graphite-bituminous shale matrix.

Classic specimen from this Zamora mine, rare to see today, formed by a layer of greenish-yellow segnitite crystals; under the magnifying glass we can see small crystals. It is accompanied by phillipsbornite and hinsdalite, of a more brownish to reddish tone. Good size specimen from this classic Spanish locality.

Rich group of linarite crystals, very bright, with well visible facets and a spectacular color. They upholster a cavity in the quartz matrix. From this classic locality for the species.

Group of hexagonal pr¡smatic crystals showing a good brilliance, characteristic color and very well defined faces and edges. From a classic Spanish mine.

These specimens show yellowish nodules included in a feldspar matrix. First SEM-EDS analysis have yielded a phosphate of Th and Ca, with minor Pb. XRD has shown patterns of "bravantite", the old name for cheralite and brockite. The chemical base formula for these species are: grayite (Th,Pb,Ca)(PO4)·H2O; cheralite CaTh(PO4)2; brockite (Ca,Th,Ce)(PO4)·H2O. REE has not been found in EDS.
We could say that this yellow nodules belongs from altered monazite, formed by mixed species cheralite-grayite, with minor brockite. Accompanied in matrix by meta-autunite. We will send the full report.

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Very good size crystal of benitoite, a rare barium and titanium silicate, rich in faces, highlighting those of the trigonal dypraramid, together with those of the hexagonal dypyramid and the pinacoidal faces. Intense color and translucent. It has a small dent in one edge, common in these specimens without affecting the aesthetics of the specimen. On matrix.

Druse of very well defined cubic fluorite crystals, transparent to translucent, with luster and a slightly greenish blue color. They are accompanied by small crystals of calcite. From this classic Catalan mines. Acquired by Joan Astor from Joan Montplet, a well-known mineral dealer from Sant Celoni, close to the Montseny massif.

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Radial aggregates of reddish-brown sursassite, bright and on the quartz matrix. It is accompanied by orange-yellow aggregates of tinzenite crystals, together with fibrous masses of light yellow ganophyllite.

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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.

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Many years ago, these crystal aggregates were classified as brushite, but later analysis indicated that it was hydroxylapatite with carbonate groups. Fluorapatite is not common in Bruguers. These globular aggregates are disposed on an upholstered matrix with bright green microcrystals of montgomeryite. The matrix is goethite. From the J. Astor collection, formerly col. Jordi Pi, well-known nature and geological landscape photographer and mineral collector (Barcelona).

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Group of rutile crystals with a highly visible cyclic twin. A brilliant piece with years... From the Joan Astor collection.

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Aesthetic miniature of fluorite crystals of a greenish hue with geometric violet colour zoning. Partially covered by various aggregates of hyaline quartz crystals, peppered by small globular hematite that gives them a reddish hue. A piece from this classic Catalan mine, from the J. Astor and collection. by L. Daunis.

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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.

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A rare specimen collected in an urban setting. Colorless to white radial aggregates of acicular artinite crystals on a serpentine matrix. Aesthetic, good size, excellent quality, very rich, from the classic Staten Island locality. Artinite is a rare hydrated magnesium carbonate. This piece comes from the J. Astor collection, acquired in 1980 from Bailey Minerals (Ángel Jesús Talabán García, Segovia 1942-Madrid 2007). With old labels. An USA classic nowadays not easy to find.

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