Diopside specimens from Castellaccio are difficult to find today. They show aggregates of radiated prismatic diopside crystals with a lavender hue due to manganese content. It is the best known species found in rodingite (a metasomatic rock) from this Italian quarry. Various analyzes have shown the presence of Co (0.5% by weight in CoO) and Mn (1.5% by weight in MnO). Associated minerals include perovskite, grossular, andradite, magnetite, titanite, apatite, pyrrhotite, and calcite (Bedognè et al., 2006). 

Bedognè, F., Montrasio, A., Sciesa, E. (2006): I minerali della medio-alta Valtellina delle Orobie e della Val Poschiavo. Aggiornamenti sulle altre località della provincia di Sondrio. Tipografia Bettini, Sondrio, 255 pp.

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Violan specimen from the first locality where this clinopyroxene variety was first described. It is a purple to purple-blue manganese-colored diopside, augite, or omphacite. This specimen we offer is accompanied by a Deyrolle (Paris) label, with the number #3606 (attached to the sample). The Deyrolle company began its business in 1831, led by Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle, with the production and sale of materials related to the natural sciences. This specimen is accompanied by a nice handwritten label.

The original name was "violan", introduced in 1838 by August Breithaupt. In 1867, Thomas Allison Readwin, in his Index to Mineralogy, misspelled the name with an "e" at the end, but it remained that way for the future.

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In this specimen, we can observe and enjoy numerous andradite crystals, of the green demantoid variety. Faceted, lustrous, and translucent. An Alpine classic. It belongs from the Didisheim collection in Switzerland.

170 €

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Pinkish aluminotaipingite-(CeCa) aggregates on matrix. They have been analyzed and the results will be sent to the buyer. Montoso is one of the areas where the "Pietra di Luserna" or "Stone of Luserna" is extracted, a leucogranitic orthogneiss characterized by a micro-"Augen" texture and a greenish gray or locally pale blue color.

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Although it is not an aesthetic specimen in the conventional sense, this metacinnabar is a very interesting for the locality and unusual piece for sale. It comes from the Pietrineri mine, a mercury mine included in the famous mercury mineral complex of Monte Amiata, currently completely abandoned. Mining operations at Pietrineri began in 1902 and ceased in 1979. In the specimen we can see the vermilion of cinnabar along with black aggregates of metacinnabar.

Titanian hydroxylclinohumite porphyroblasts with white-greyish diopside and antigorite serpentinite. The varietal name titanoclinohumite (older literature uses the name "titanolivine" for this variety) is commonly used to indicate Ti-bearing hydroxylclinohumite found in metamorphosed serpentinites. A very interesting specimen from unusual locality for the species.

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Specimen of hydromagnesite formed by various globular aggregates of lanceolated and transparent crystals of this magnesium hydroxylcarbonate. They stand out for their contrast with the ophiolitic rocky matrix. It is not very common to find specimens from this Italian locality.

The chabazite-Ca specimens from this Italian locality present aggregates of orange lenticular crystals. The aesthetic is very remarkable when contrasting in the vacuoles of the basaltic matrix. They are accompanied by phillipsite, analcime, minerals from the smectite group, and calcite. Under magnification we can observe the vacuoles with the different minerals, an entertainment.

The chabazite-Ca specimens from this Italian locality present aggregates of orange lenticular crystals. The aesthetic is very remarkable when contrasting in the vacuoles of the basaltic matrix. They are accompanied by phillipsite, analcime, minerals from the smectite group, and calcite. Under magnification we can observe the vacuoles with the different minerals, an entertainment.

Radiated spray aggregates of fine dawsonite crystals, a rare aluminum sodium hydroxylcarbonate. They aredisposed on a marl matrix. They come from a known area for the species but from a new find.

The Cyclopean Isles is a small volcanic archipelago off the coast of Aci Trezza, in the Etna volcanic complex. They are the type locality for the analcime species, which we can see in this specimen. This old time sample from the Freiberg Bergakademie shows us vacuoles with idiomorphic analcime crystals accompanied by colorless, well-defined thomsonite-Ca prisms those have grown on the analcime. The two labels give clear testimony to the antiquity of the specimen. A true mineralogical curiosity.

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Various groups of octahedral spinel crystals, very well defined, brilliant and with an intense black color. They are disposed on a matrix of volcanic rock with forsterite. This is a very representative specimen for the species and for this classic Italian locality. It belongs from various collections. Good size and quality for the species.

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The Monteponi phosgenite specimens are a classic of European and worldwide mineralogy. This specimen shows us two differentiated zones. One with a group of phosgenite crystals in parallel growth accompanied by a well defined prismatic crystal. Translucent and with the classic honey gray tone. They are disposed on a galena matrix with numerous anglesite crystals. This specimen belongs with the label of the René Hubin collection (Belgium).

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Rich group of radiated natrolite crystals, transparent to translucent, very bright and disposed on a vacuole of basaltic rock. It is not easy to find specimens with this quality and from this Italian locality. Specimen from the collection of Rolando Gallina.

Specimen of anhydrite formed by numerous prismatic to tabular crystals, well defined and interpenetrated. On the back we can see the matrix formed by dolomite and brilliant pyrite crystals. Specimens from this Italian mine, located north of Boccheggiano, were collected at the end of the 20th century. The mine worked from the early 1980s, currently the mine is closed.

Druse of analcime crystals, very brilliant, transparent, and with very well-defined faces and edges. A specimen of fine quality for this Italian locality.

Brilliant specimen formed by a druse of defined tarpezohedral crystals of grossular, hessonite variety. Intense color, shine and transparence. With the handwritten label from the Joan Astor collection, indicating that this specimen was purchased at Expominer mineral show to Benvenuti Gianni.

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In a tuff andesitic volcanic rocky matrix we can observe several cavities that contain aggregates of colorless, bright clinoptilolite crystals. Specimens from this Italian locality are not common.

Specimens from this locality, located in the south of the island of Sardinia, are very rare on the market. This specimen is formed by cavities lined with prismatic barrel-shaped crystals. Intense green to yellowish color. The piece comes from the Manchion collection and was acquired from Dr. Joan Viñals in 1989.

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Very good specimen of epidote from this classic Alpine Italian locality. Several epidote crystals with a yellowish green color, with transparence and very well defined. They are accompanied by numerous prismatic crystals of diopside, also very well defined, with transparence, brilliance and a very characteristic olive green color. Good size and quality specimen for display. It belongs from the former collection of Ezio and Manuela Bernabé, with the typewritten label, we will send with the piece.

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Exceptional very good sized specimen of humite, a rare magnesium fluorosilicate, from the type locality for the species: Monte Somma. In the piece we can see numerous crystals of an orange tone, defined and some with rounded shapes, brilliant and with transparence. They are accompanied by micaceous phlogopite crystals and white aggregates of sodalite.
Humite is a species closely related to norbergite, chondrodite and clinohumite. These minerals are very difficult to distinguish. Humite appears to have a smaller field of stability than clinohumite, chondrodite and norbergite. Humite is often associated with one or more of the other species of the humite group, as intergrowths.

Brilliant specimen formed by a druse of defined tarpezohedral crystals of grossular, hessonite variety. Intense color, shine and transparence. It is accompanied by groups of green clinochlorine crystals.

Very brilliant pyrohedron cluster, of good size and with well defined faces and edges. With some hematite brilliant lamellar crystals. From this classic Italian locality. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

Very brilliant pyrohedron cluster, of good size and with well defined faces and edges. From this classic Italian locality. It belongs to the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten and typewritten label.

55 € 38 €

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Very aesthetic specimen from this classic Italian mine. Several magnetite crystals with dodecahedron forms, some of them very interestingly distorted crystalography, with intense luster and very well defined. It is accompanied by octahedral pyrite crystals. It comes from the Joan Astor collection (Barcelona), with a handwritten label and typewritten box.

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