These specimens of Peruvian arsenopyrite stand out for their excellent luster and perfection of its crystals. With the camera I am not able to capture its real beauty. On a sulfide matrix we can enjoy hundreds of arsenopyrite crystals, prismatic, with defined terminal faces, rather than well-defined. They're accompanied by chalcopyrite crystals with dull luster, but gold tone, also well-defined and twinned. Brilliance and quality. A novelty of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2016.

These specimens of Peruvian arsenopyrite stand out for their excellent luster and perfection of its crystals. With the camera I am not able to capture its real beauty. On a sulfide matrix we can enjoy hundreds of arsenopyrite crystals, prismatic, with defined terminal faces, rather than well-defined. They're accompanied by chalcopyrite crystals with dull luster, but gold tone, also well-defined and twinned. Brilliance and quality. A novelty of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2016.
In this sample we see aggregates of intense black color and metallic luster which analysis indicates that it is ferberite (with minor % Mn). Simply outstanding.

A classic specimen of Mt. St-Hilaire combines a group of good sized analcime crystals with trapezohedral faces, well defined and interpenetrating each other. With some sérandite crystals, well defined and showing an excellent bright orange color. It is accompanied by aegirine, green fibrous actinolite and crystals of manganoneptunite with a dark brown color, and probably accompanied by thorian britholite-(Ce) (not perfectly identified). An indispensable classic of mineralogy. We will send analysis to the buyer.

Very aesthetic divergent group of hübnerite crystals showing a marked prismatic habit, with good brightness, intense color, with very very visible reddish transparencies. They are disposed on a hyaline quartz matrix. A selected specimen.

An aesthetic arborescent copper specimen with several defined crystals, with good brilliance an colour. From a former collection.

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Really fine specimen, with good size, for this rare species. The balangeroite is a magnesium, iron anfd manganese silicate, only found in a few places worldwide. The serpentine Poggio San Vittore quarry, which were the best samples has been found and it is the type locality for the species, is abandoned since 1990.
The mineral usually appears included in the serpentine matrix and only few fibers are aerial. In this specimen, fibers are totally aerial and with an unusual length. A definitive piece, from the TL for selected displays.

Really fine specimen, with good size, for this rare species. The balangeroite is a magnesium, iron anfd manganese silicate, only found in a few places worldwide. The serpentine Poggio San Vittore quarry, which were the best samples has been found and it is the type locality for the species, is abandoned since 1990.
The mineral usually appears included in the serpentine matrix and only few fibers are aerial. In this specimen, fibers are totally aerial and with an unusual length. A definitive piece, from the TL for selected displays.

These specimens come from an andesite quarry located in NE Hungary. This quarry is worked by Colas Északkő Co. In year 2013, hyaline beautiful specimens of opal were collected. In the quarry explosives are used to excavate the rocks, so most of the specimes dissapears. From summer 2015 access is not permitted, but some specimens were collected before... These facts make it difficult to see good samples of this quality.

Hyalite opal (opal-AN) aggregates (crown shaped) are completely transparent, like drops of water, with an exceptional brightness. They are highly fluorescent under shortwave UV and also under longwave. Sometimes they accompanied by globular aggregates of calcite-aragonite. They are disposed very aerial on a porous matrix of andesite.

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These specimens come from an andesite quarry located in NE Hungary. This quarry is worked by Colas Északkő Co. In year 2013, hyaline beautiful specimens of opal were collected. In the quarry explosives are used to excavate the rocks, so most of the specimes dissapears. From summer 2015 access is not permitted, but some specimens were collected before... These facts make it difficult to see good samples of this quality.

Hyalite opal (opal-AN) aggregates (crown shaped) are completely transparent, like drops of water, with an exceptional brightness. They are highly fluorescent under shortwave UV and also under longwave. Sometimes they accompanied by globular aggregates of calcite-aragonite. They are disposed very aerial on a porous matrix of andesite. AMAZING specimen!

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These specimens come from an andesite quarry located in NE Hungary. This quarry is worked by Colas Északkő Co. In year 2013, hyaline beautiful specimens of opal were collected. In the quarry explosives are used to excavate the rocks, so most of the specimes dissapears. From summer 2015 access is not permitted, but some specimens were collected before... These facts make it difficult to see good samples of this quality.

Hyalite opal (opal-AN) aggregates (crown shaped) are completely transparent, like drops of water, with an exceptional brightness. They are highly fluorescent under shortwave UV and also under longwave. Sometimes they accompanied by globular aggregates of calcite-aragonite. They are disposed very aerial on a porous matrix of andesite.

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A brilliant group of botryoidal smithsonite aggregates. Translucent, pearly luster, white to colorless. On a goethite matrix. Classic locality.

A brilliant group of botryoidal smithsonite aggregates. Translucent, pearly luster, white to colorless. On a goethite matrix. Classic locality.

Rich group of aragonite crystals forming an aesthetic and shiny rosette. A specimen of great aesthetic, unusual for this mine and in collections. A classic Greek locality. From a former collection, which label will be send to the buyer.

A very aesthetic specimen formed by estalactitic calcite aggregates (called cat's tail) of several acute crystals. Showing a snowy white color, brilliant and disposed on a goethite matrix. It is accompanied by small crystals of rhombohedral opaline calcite.

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Very brilliant specimen formed by numerous polysynthetic growths of octahedral pyrite crystals. The golden color is superior and brilliance, as we said before, is really excellent. With white milky quartz. A fine piece from a not well represented locality.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.

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Pure brilliance, pure aesthetics. Group of tabular crystals of baryte showing curved shape with a slightly yellowish tone. Transparent to translucent, with zoned inclusions. It is accompanied by twinned and brilliant crystals of marcasite. A true delicacy.

Fine specimen that shows aggregates of tabular crystals of baryte, with a slight yellowish tone, transparent to translucent, brilliant and with defined faces and edges. Accompanied by several marcasite crystals showing various twins, such as "cockscomb", as aggregates or very aesthetic individual crystals. On a quartz matrix.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.

Very rich group of cubic-octahedral galena crystals, well defined faces and edges, partially covering the rocky matrix. They accompanied by aggregates of marcasite, some baryte, and brilliant chalcopyrite.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.

Bright specimen that consists of parallel aggregates of tabular baryte crystals on which we can observe various groups of marcasite crystals, many isolated, twinned, flattened and with good brightness. Very representative for the species and with an interesting mineral balance.

Group of cubic galena crystals with an exceptional size for the locality, brilliant and very sharp. They are disposed on an matrix partially covered of small quartz crystals. We can observe pyrite and marcasite on the matrix.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.

Large group of prismatic crystals of albite, well defined, beige color and interpenetrating each other. They're accompanied by numerous aggregates of prismatic crystals of epidote, fibrous actinolite and smoky quartz crystals. Highlights small magnetite octahedral crystals those are placed in the cavities of the specimen. They were sold as orthoclase but a recent XRD analysis I have done indicates that it is albite (2/15/2024). Maybe more interesting.

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Druse formed by a group of quartz var. amethyst-smoky crystals, showing defined faces and edges, from translucent to transparent. One has a small notch in its upper face. They are disposed on a matrix of feldspar, probably orthoclase, with prismatic crystals of green epidote and fibrous actinolite.

Group of prismatic arfvedsonite crystals, showing parallel growth, one of the predominant and elongated. With striated faces and polycrystalline terminal faces. Dark green color, near black, in a feldspar matrix with very small prismatic zircon orange crystals.

Rich group of galena cube-octahedral crystals, some of them complex, defined faces and edges, and with a better quality than usual for the locality. They are disposed on a matrix covered by small and brilliant quartz crystals. Accompanied by several aggregates of golden twinned marcasite sharp crystals, brilliant, with aggregates pyrite. Very fine specimen.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.

Group of aesthetic cube-octahedral galena crystals, defined faces and edges, and with a better quality than usual for the locality. They are disposed on a matrix covered by brilliant quartz crystals. Accompanied by aggregates of honey color sphalerite complex crystals. With pyrite and flattened twinned marcasite. A huge size displayable specimen.
These mines are located approximately 50 km south of Alnif, near the border with Algeria. This area was already mined in medieval age for the extraction of copper. In the 60s of the last century, French companies expanded shafts and mineral extraction.