White globular aggregates of thomsonite-Ca, on the basaltic matrix. Excol. M. Marín de Castelló. A classic specimen of Spanish mineralogy.

Size: 5.4 x 4.5 x 3.2 cm.
Main crystal: 3.5 mm.
Found in ±2000.

Rich group of small pyromorphite crystals, prismatic, hexagonal and truncated by pinacoidal faces. Good color and shine. Examples of this mine are not easy to come by today. The sample is accompanied by the handwritten label of Joan Viñals.

Size: 5.5 x 4.6 x 3 cm.
Main crystal: 1 mm.

This is a representative specimen of fissural cinnabar, in which we can observe under magnification small flattened cinnabar crystals, with striated faces, on a druse of quartz crystals. The transparence makes it very brilliant under the light.

Size: 6.4 x 4.7 x 3.5 cm.

Classic locality

Very good sized specimen of cyclically twinned aragonite. It belongs from the Manchion collection.

Size: 6 x 5.2 x 5.2 cm.
Found in ±1991.

Col. Manchion (Barcelona).

This Spanish aragonite specimen shows two twinned and interpenetrated crystals. They have a really good brilliance and tones those varies from whitish to brown, translucent. Twinned cyclically on {110} and showing a hexagonal prismatic habit. It comes from the Arguijo collection.

Size: 3.6 x 2.8 x 2.3 cm.
Main crystal: 2.9 & 2.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

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

This Spanish aragonite specimen shows several twinned and interpenetrated crystals, one of them with a big size. They have a really good brilliance and tones those varies from whitish to brown, translucent. Twinned cyclically on {110} and showing a hexagonal prismatic habit. It comes from the Arguijo collection.

Size: 5.2 x 4.8 x 4.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

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

This Spanish aragonite specimen shows several twinned and interpenetrated crystals, one of them with a big size. They have a really good brilliance and tones those varies from whitish to violet, translucent. Twinned cyclically on {110} and showing a hexagonal prismatic habit. It comes from the Arguijo collection.

Size: 5.1 x 4.8 x 4.2 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

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

Specimen of calcite with very aesthetic stalactitic forms. It comes from a locality not well represented in collections.

Size: 6.6 x 6 x 5.6 cm.
Found in ca. 1980.

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

A historical specimen of this classic mine. Various tabular baryte crystals peppered by small but brilliant and well-shaped cinnabar crystals. These specimens are very difficult to find today.

Size: 8 x 5.6 x 4 cm.
Found in ±1980.

Col. Manchion (Barcelona).
Classic locality

Hidalgoite specimen from this classic Spanish mine. It appears as olive-green coatings, forming aggregates of tiny crystals. Collected in 1999 by M. Marí and A. García. The Estrella mine is located in the Majadillas hill, in the extreme south of the municipality of Pardos, in Guadalajara. It is an old copper and silver mine whose exploitation dates back to the 17th century, with its maximum activity being in the mid-19th century coinciding with the splendor of the nearby Hiendelaencina mines.

Size: 6.7 x 3.8 x 2 cm.
Found in 1999.

Col. M. Marí & A. García, #0.131
Classic locality

Many specimens of aragonite are seen, as "pinecone" shape, also isolated, but this specimen has an "I don't know what" that makes it different for me. An elliptical "pinecone" of prismatic, divergent aragonite crystals, which are grouped around a central axis, with more developed crystals. Different and very aesthetic. A classic from Spanish mineralogy.

Size: 8.4 x 5.0 x 4.8 cm.
Found in 2012.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

This specimen is interesting because of the cavity in the matrix, where bright red cinnabar crystals stand out. They are accompanied by lenticular baryte crystals. An old specimen from the Arguijo collection.

Size: 8 x 5.7 x 3 cm.
Found in ±1980.

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

This sample has, for me, both a collection and scientific interest. It is a sample of cinnabar "veins" in its host rock, which has been perfectly polished to be able to see the structures of this breccia. Intense red colors of cinnabar snaking between fragments of quartzite impregnated with cinnabar, isolated crystals of pyrite and veins of dolomite. A true curiosity from Almaden to study under the magnifying glass.

Size: 6.5 x 5 x 1.4 cm.

Very curious specimen formed by several cubic crystals of halite, some with hoppered growth forms, bright and translucent. A very aesthetic neoformation of these "salinas" (saltworks). Although it is believed that the Romans, in the s. I AD, they already extracted salt from the area, the saltworks of Imón were built in the 10th century and have been exploited intermittently for centuries. In 2015 they returned to production with the construction of new pools of enormous dimensions.

Size: 9 x 5.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 20 x 15 mm.
Found in ±2014

Radial aggregates of stibnite crystals, very brilliant and in the rocky matrix. We can see some flattened crystals. Of this old mine where today it is difficult to find pieces.

Size: 5.3 x 3.7 x 1.8 cm.
Main crystal: 1.5 cm.
Found in ±1984.

Col. Manchion #93, 06/1984.

A historical specimen of this classic mine. Various tabular baryte crystals peppered by small but brilliant and well-shaped cinnabar crystals. These specimens are very difficult to find today.

Size: 6.5 x 5 x 3.5 cm.
Found in ±1984.

Col. Manchion #97, 04/1984, J. Viñals.
Classic locality

These aragonite pineapples are very rare. This specimen shows a large group of pseudohexagonal crystals, with a tone between gray, violet to brownish, translucent. Dedicated to the aragonite collectors. It comes from the Daunis collection and was collected by him personally in this classic locality.

Size: 6.4 x 6.2 x 6.4 cm.
Main crystal: 22 x 14 mm.

Ex-col Daunis (Barcelona)
Fluorescent under long wave UV

This Spanish aragonite specimen shows several twinned and interpenetrated crystals, one of them with a big size. They have a really good brilliance and tones those varies from whitish to violet, translucent. Twinned cyclically on {110} and showing a hexagonal prismatic habit. Dedicated to the aragonite collectors. It comes from the Daunis collection and was collected by him personally in this classic locality.

Size: 5.9 x 5.5 x 4.5 cm.
Main crystal: 5.9 x 3.0 cm.
Found in ca 1960-70's

Ex-col Daunis (Barcelona)
Fluorescent under long wave UV

This Spanish aragonite specimen shows several twinned and interpenetrated crystals, one of them with a big size. They have a really good brilliance and tones those varies from whitish to violet, translucent. Twinned cyclically on {110} and showing a hexagonal prismatic habit. Dedicated to the aragonite collectors. It comes from the Daunis collection and was collected by him personally in this classic locality.

Size: 4.8 x 4.2 x 3.8 cm.
Found in ca 1960-70's

Ex-col Daunis (Barcelona)
Fluorescent under long wave UV

This specimenbelongs from an Italian collection. It stands out for a colorful cinnabar crystal, with a good size (12 mm), transparent to translucent. Faceted, bright, intense red color. It is accompanied by several groups of crystals of the same species. A classic smaple with a pedigree, very difficult to see today. From one of the most Spanish classic localities.

Size: 7.7 x 5.8 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 12 x 9 mm.
Found in 1960-70s.

A classic of Spanish mineralogy. Pantoja aragonites are known for their arrangement in the cavities of this gray marl, forming groups of prismatic crystals in divergent aggregates and with intense fluorescence under UV-LW light. In this specimen crystals have a very good size and are presented in several cavities in the matrix.

Size: 10.0 x 7.2 x 5.4 cm.
Main crystal: 30 mm diam. aggr.

Fluorescent under long wave UV

Very "curious" specimen of these opals from the gypsum quarries of Agramón. It is not so common to find them in a consolidated matrix.

Size: 9.3 x 8.5 x 3.8 cm.
Main crystal: 30 x 18 mm.

Group of interpenetrated aragonite crystals, brilliant, damage free and with a more intense brown color zoning in central prism. With naturally corroded pinacoids. A good specimen different from the usual in this classic aragonite Spanish locality.From a former collection Botella.

Size: 6.6 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.
Main crystal: 35 x 35 mm.

Ex-col. Botella.
Fluorescent under long wave UV