January 2010 Update

Page 2 of 2

RX96P8: From a classic American locality. The Sphalerite crystals are complex with deep red color and good transparency. These crystals were named "Ruby Jack". They are implanted on a very thin matrix and are partially coated by sharp, well defined, crystals of Marcasite. Folch's records indicate that the sample was acquired in Tucson in 1959.
Picher Field, Tri-State District, Ottawa County, Oklahoma  USA (±1959)

Specimen size: 10.8 × 8.3 × 2.9 cm = 4.3” × 3.3” × 1.1”

Main crystal size: 3.6 × 2.9 cm = 1.4” × 1.1”

RL10P8: The single crystal is better defined than usual for this classic Mexican locality. Its morphology, perfectly distinct, consists of two prisms and a dipyramid, incomplete in the lower part of the crystal.
Lago de Jaco, Sierra de la Cruz, Coahuila  Mexico (±1970)

Specimen size: 2.6 × 1.5 × 1.7 cm = 1.0” × 0.6” × 0.7”

RC63P8: A single equidimensional Vesuvianite crystal of yellowish brown color. Its cubical aspect is due to two short prisms and a dipyramid plus the terminal pinacoid. On the surface of some of its faces there are small groups of dodecahedral crystals of Grossular.
Lago de Jaco, Sierra de la Cruz, Coahuila  Mexico

Specimen size: 3.1 × 3 × 3.1 cm = 1.2” × 1.2” × 1.2”

RB63P8: "Bow tie" growth of elongated crystals with clear color zoning, white at the center and a beautiful yellow elsewhere. The sample has an extraordinary fluorescence, very much stronger than usual.
Mina Ojuela, Mapimí, Municipio de Mapimí, Durango  Mexico

Specimen size: 4.3 × 2.5 × 3.4 cm = 1.7” × 1.0” × 1.3”

RC99P8: Probably this is one of the first Amethyst samples from Las Vigas because the original label indicates that it was acquired in Tucson in 1968 and (erroneously) 'Guerrero' as the locality. It is a very aerial group of crystals, some of them doubly terminated, with a very well marked color zoning. Luster and transparency are excellent.
Piedra Parada, Las Vigas, Veracruz  Mexico (±1968)

Specimen size: 9 × 5.7 × 2.9 cm = 3.5” × 2.2” × 1.1”

Main crystal size: 2.4 × 1.2 cm = 0.9” × 0.5”

RM66P8: Complex crystals of Sphalerite of dark honey color and good transparency, partially coated by small crystals of Dolomite and with doubly terminated crystals of Calcite (a species uncommon at this locality in well-formed crytals), with the shape of a scalenohedron but composed of polycrystalline growths of the prism and a terminal rhombohedron.
Mina Las Mánforas, Áliva, Picos de Europa, Cantabria  Spain

Specimen size: 6.7 × 5.7 × 4.7 cm = 2.6” × 2.2” × 1.9”

RB60P8: A crystal of Titanite of good size, very well defined, with curved faces and edges and completely chloritized, probably by Clinochlore. A classic.
Griesseren Valley, Maderanertal, Uri  Switzerland

Specimen size: 3.4 × 2.8 × 2.2 cm = 1.3” × 1.1” × 0.9”

RJ12P8: A Swiss classic with two very well marked phases of crystallization, the first one as a basic single prism having very well defined faces and edges and the second as a polycrystalline termination with a parallel growth of transparent and bright crystals. The quality of the sample is good for the locality.
Pollux Mountain, Zermatt, Matter Valley, Valais  Switzerland (1952)

Specimen size: 3.2 × 2.3 × 1.4 cm = 1.3” × 0.9” × 0.6”

RF13P8: Spheroidal growths of small rhombohedral crystals of pale pink Rhodochrosite crystals on a matrix of Quartz with two generations of growth, a first one with botryoidal growths of small crystals and a second forming a very aerial group of milky Quartz crystals very well defined and with curvatures of their faces and edges.
Cavnic, Maramures  Rumania

Specimen size: 8.3 × 6.9 × 3.3 cm = 3.3” × 2.7” × 1.3”

RM76P8: A group of crystals on matrix. They have a rounded aspect but is possible to see the dominant faces of the rhombohedron. Their yellowish green color is attractive and they have reddish shades due Cuprite inclusions.
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb  Namibia

Specimen size: 6.7 × 4.8 × 2.5 cm = 2.6” × 1.9” × 1.0”

Main crystal size: 0.4 × 0.4 cm = 0.2” × 0.2”

RM67P8: Group of rhombohedral crystals of good size, with very well defined faces and edges, slightly pinkish and on matrix. A classic.
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb  Namibia (±1973)

Specimen size: 10 × 8.5 × 7.8 cm = 3.9” × 3.3” × 3.1”

Main crystal size: 0.8 × 0.7 cm = 0.3” × 0.3”

RT17P8: Excellent doubly terminated floater crystal, without cleavages and with curvatures on some faces and edges. Its color varies between very pale yellow and green. The transparency is very good in the entire crystal.
Barra do Cuiete, Minas Gerais  Brazil (±1954)

Specimen size: 11.8 × 1.5 × 1 cm = 4.6” × 0.6” × 0.4”

RR8P8: Probably this is one of the first Diopside crystals from Afghanistan to arrive in Europe, due to the fact that it was obtained at the locality by Alberto Folch in 1980, as the original label says. The single crystal has very well defined faces and edges, a very deep and uniform green color and it is rather transparent.
Nuristan  Afghanistan (±1980)

Specimen size: 2.9 × 0.7 × 0.6 cm = 1.1” × 0.3” × 0.2”