Reference Specimens / Spain / Fabre Minerals

This page provides a selection of the specimens that have passed through the Fabre Minerals website and, due to their quality,
rarity, or significance as specimens from interesting locations, have been preserved as reference specimens in #MVM

Quartz and other Species from the Montseny / Montnegre areas

In a small quarry near Barcelona, appeared good samples of smoky Quartz and exceptionally some Quartz Amethyst. Lots of local collectors go there on the weekends hoping to find the sample of their dreams. As we know many of them we hear about new finds and see the specimens found. Here are some of them. If you want to know more about La Selva Quartz please follow this link

Quartz (variety amethyst) with smoky Quartz

NZ58M9: Sceptered crystal with stepping. It has a very sharp phantom and its color, very deep, is especially concentrated on terminal faces.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2005)

Specimen size: 4.2 × 2.1 × 2.7 cm = 1.65” × 0.83” × 1.06”

Scepter Quartz (variety amethyst)

NF58H1: A very sharp scepter growth. The amethyst crystal with a short prism stands on white Quartz. The color is very deep and distributed in zones. The luster is excellent.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (10/2005)

Specimen size: 4.4 × 2.8 × 1.8 cm = 1.73” × 1.10” × 0.71”

Quartz (variety amethyst)

NB57F0: The most notable thing about these crystals is the way the rhombohedral faces of the termination are much larger than the prism faces. The color is intense and the coloring is not evenly distributed within the crystals. The rear has re-crystallized.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2004)

Specimen size: 4.5 × 3.5 × 1.5 cm = 1.77” × 1.38” × 0.59”

Quartz (variety amethyst) with smoky Quartz, Albite and Microcline

ND9M9: A curious sample in which coincide two Quartz varieties (Smoky and amethyst). On the thicker crystal there is a very well defined phantom and the violet color on terminal faces. With Albite and on an Microcline matrix.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 4.9 × 4.8 × 3.8 cm = 1.93” × 1.89” × 1.50”

Main crystal size: 4 × 3 cm = 1.57” × 1.18”

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Quartz (variety amethyst) with smoky Quartz and Microcline

NX16K7: Parallel and scepter growth of doubly terminated crystals with short prisms, deep and uniform color. On Albite and Microcline matrix.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 5 × 3.8 × 3.8 cm = 1.97” × 1.50” × 1.50”

Main crystal size: 3.2 × 2.5 cm = 1.26” × 0.98”

Quartz (variety amethyst) with Microcline

NX57M9: Poorly defined scepter growth, with stepping. The sample, of excellent color and a very sharp phantom, has contact zones on the back side and it is on an Microcline matrix.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 6.4 × 4.3 × 4.2 cm = 2.52” × 1.69” × 1.65”

Main crystal size: 3.2 × 3.2 cm = 1.26” × 1.26”

Quartz (variety amethyst)

NR59K7: Parallel growth of a brilliant doubly terminated crystal group with a pale but uniform color. The group forms a scepter on a deep smoky Quartz crystal.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 6.5 × 3.5 × 2.9 cm = 2.56” × 1.38” × 1.14”

Quartz (variety amethyst) "scepter" with smoky Quartz and Albite

NA14M0: Very sharp scepter with the classical multiple double terminations, short prism and irregular color zoning. On a Quartz crystal partially covered by Albite. A specimen with much better quality than it is usual for this locality.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2008)

Specimen size: 7.2 × 3.1 × 3.8 cm = 2.83” × 1.22” × 1.50”

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Sceptered Quartz (variety amethyst) with smoky Quartz

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NM96T1: Sample from the famous find on the AVE works, April 2006, whose pieces are characterized by their luster and the deepness of their color. In this case we also note the sharpness of the scepter, with a polycrystalline growth on the lower termination, and some window growths on the faces of the rhombohedron.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (04/2006)

Specimen size: 7.2 × 3.7 × 4.2 cm = 2.83” × 1.46” × 1.65”

Main crystal size: 5.2 × 3.8 cm = 2.05” × 1.50”

Quartz (variety amethyst) with Quartz (variety smoky)

Fluorescent light (daylight)

TH98AM7: Scepter and parallel growths of very sharp Quartz (amethyst variety) crystals, lustrous, translucent and with color zoning of different intensities. Of the highest possible quality for the find.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain

Specimen size: 7.3 × 6.1 × 4.4 cm = 2.87” × 2.40” × 1.73”

Main crystal size: 6.2 × 4.6 cm = 2.44” × 1.81”

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Quartz (variety amethyst) with Quartz (variety smoky) and Microcline

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NJ36AL9: Quartz (variety amethyst) on a Quartz crystal (variety smoky) with very dark tones. On a Microcline matrix.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain

Specimen size: 7.5 × 6 × 4.6 cm = 2.95” × 2.36” × 1.81”

Main crystal size: 7.1 × 3.6 cm = 2.80” × 1.42”

Quartz (variety amethyst)

NA10L6: Parallel growth of amethyst crystals, with a second generation of small Quartz crystals, some of them doubly terminated, which grew perpendicular to the specimen main axis. Color is more intense in terminations. A very curious specimen for the locality. This specimen is from the AVE (Spanish High Speed Train) quarry works where actually it is quite impossible to obtain quality specimens.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 7.6 × 5.1 × 5.2 cm = 2.99” × 2.01” × 2.05”

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Quartz (variety amethyst) with Quartz (variety smoky)

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NH28AJ0: Quartz (amethyst variety) crystals that are translucent, bright and have geometric color bands, deeper and denser on the edges.
The sample has great quality for the locality and is from the Jaume Vilalta collection whose label we will send to the buyer.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (06/2006)

Specimen size: 9.2 × 6.6 × 3.9 cm = 3.62” × 2.60” × 1.54”

Quartz (variety amethyst) with Quartz (variety smoky) with Microcline

MX47AL4: Staggered uniaxial growth of amethystine Quartz crystals, with violet shades of different intensity, denser at the points, superimposed as a scepter on a smoky Quartz crystal. The specimen comes from a site worked during construction of the AVE high speed train line, where it is currently impossible to find new quality specimens.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2004)

Specimen size: 12.4 × 6.4 × 5.6 cm = 4.88” × 2.52” × 2.20”

Main crystal size: 3.6 × 2.5 cm = 1.42” × 0.98”

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Quartz (variety amethyst) with smoky Quartz and Microcline

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NB88M9: The crystal, of big size, has clearly a violet color but at the same time has a core of neat smoky color with golden shades. The base is a flat contact.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2001)

Specimen size: 13.5 × 9.2 × 8.2 cm = 5.31” × 3.62” × 3.23”

Quartz on Microcline

TC50NM: Doubly terminated Quartz crystal with curiously deformed faces in which different growth phases can be appreciated, marked by changes in transparency and coloration. On a Microcline matrix with highly recrystallized faces.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2003-2008)

Specimen size: 7.1 × 4 × 2.9 cm = 2.80” × 1.57” × 1.14”

Main crystal size: 4.7 × 2.8 cm = 1.85” × 1.10”

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Smoky Quartz with Albite

NJ56K1: The crystal is smoky on its base and it has a neat phantom growth in its clearer termination. Near the base of the crystal there are small fragments of Albite matrix. The crystal is from the Massabé Quarry, where is possible to find some specimens yet.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2005)

Specimen size: 3.7 × 1.5 × 1.4 cm = 1.46” × 0.59” × 0.55”

Smoky Quartz with Microcline

NK57K1: A transparent crystal with a deep and uniform color. It is on a matrix of Microcline. The crystal is from the Massabé Quarry, where is possible to find some specimens yet.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2002)

Specimen size: 3.8 × 1.4 × 1.1 cm = 1.50” × 0.55” × 0.43”

Smoky Quartz

NR57K7: Smoky crystal with very sharp faces and edges, and with deep red Hematite inclusions in terminal faces and on rhombohedron edges.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2005)

Specimen size: 4.5 × 1.7 × 1.5 cm = 1.77” × 0.67” × 0.59”

Feldspar fluorescent short UV

Smoky Quartz

NA88D8: The most significant crystal, undamaged and well positioned on the matrix of Albite, There is another small crystal of Quartz on the matrix that is also undamaged. Good color and transparency in this interesting specimen.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2002)

Specimen size: 8.3 × 3.3 × 2.6 cm = 3.27” × 1.30” × 1.02”

Smoky Quartz with Microcline

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NL27M9: The crystal has an especially intense luster and has very deep color. The back side has some contact zones and there is Microcline attached in some areas.
Soliva Quarry (AVE Quarry works), Can Sala, Riudarenes, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2006)

Specimen size: 10.8 × 6.9 × 5.3 cm = 4.25” × 2.72” × 2.09”

Quartz (variety smoky) with Microcline

Fluorescent light (daylight)

NTM96AO0: Quartz crystal (smoky variety) very sharp, with parallel growths and very marked steps, between transparent and translucent, with good luster and an intense and uniform smoky tone. With Microcline at the base of the crystal.
The specimen comes from the Miguel David Martínez collection (nº 853), whose label we will send to the buyer.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (±2015)

Specimen size: 11.5 × 5 × 4.7 cm = 4.53” × 1.97” × 1.85”

Main crystal size: 9.7 × 5 cm = 3.82” × 1.97”

Former collection of Miguel David Martínez

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Quartz with smoky Quartz

EE9K9: In this specimen two clearly different crystal growth phases coexist. In the first one the Quartz crystal has a very deep smoky color, and covering this primary crystal is a second growth phase of milky Quartz.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (2005)

Specimen size: 8 × 4.6 × 2.9 cm = 3.15” × 1.81” × 1.14”

Microcline with smoky Quartz and Albite

NP7I9: Prismatic crystal of very well defined faces and edges and a very well marked Baveno twin. Lower on the sample there is an small matrix of Albite and a small flat crystal of smoky Quartz.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (08/2006)

Specimen size: 3.8 × 1.6 × 1.4 cm = 1.50” × 0.63” × 0.55”

Microcline with Albite

M10FTL2: From a classic Catalan locality, at the foot of the Montseny Massif, we can enjoy this old Orthoclase specimen. A group of crystals with slight orange color totally coated by small Albite crystals, doubly terminated, orientated, very transparent and with good brilliance.
Can Vernenc, Montnegre Mountains, La Batllòria, Sant Celoni, Comarca Vallès Oriental, Barcelona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (1975)

Specimen size: 3.9 × 3 × 1.9 cm = 1.54” × 1.18” × 0.75”

Microcline (twinned) with Quartz (variety smoky), Albite and Mica

Fluorescent light (daylight)

NBZ46AO5: Sharp Microcline crystal with distinct and smooth crystal forms, salmon pink, on matrix, with doubly terminated, transparent, lustrous and very deep colored Quartz crystals (smoky variety) associated with white Albite crystals.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (09/2007)

Specimen size: 8.3 × 6.1 × 6.8 cm = 3.27” × 2.40” × 2.68”

Main crystal size: 7.8 × 5.7 cm = 3.07” × 2.24”

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Microcline with smoky Quartz, Albite and Mica

NF26W4: A crystal of Microcline with simple forms, with a very well marked Baveno twin all along the prism. It has pinkish color with fine perthitic growths and it is on matrix with crystals of smoky Quartz and white Albite crystals.
Mas Sever Quarry, Massabè (Mas Ceber), Sils, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (08/2007)

Specimen size: 12 × 7.6 × 5.3 cm = 4.72” × 2.99” × 2.09”

Main crystal size: 4.5 × 4 cm = 1.77” × 1.57”

Baryte

Fluorescent light (daylight)

SV2220MTX: Book-like aggregates of very sharp Baryte crystals, between tabular and lamellar, translucent, white, and on matrix. From an already extinct locality from which it is very difficult to find specimens nowadays, and even more so of this quality and size.
This specimen comes from the collection of Lluís Daunis.
Osor Mines, Osor, Comarca La Selva, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain

Specimen size: 11.8 × 10 × 6.7 cm = 4.65” × 3.94” × 2.64”

Main crystal size: 1.2 × 0.6 cm = 0.47” × 0.24”

Minor fluorescence short UV

Former collection of Lluís Daunis

Hydromagnesite

M57FJ5: A classic for the locality. Radial groups of white acicular crystals and silky luster.
Meca Quarry (De l'Àngel Quarry), Can Plans, Gualba, Comarca Vallès Oriental, Barcelona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (1971)

Specimen size: 6 × 5.3 × 3.2 cm = 2.36” × 2.09” × 1.26”

Main crystal size: 0.3 × 0.1 cm = 0.12” × 0.04”

Fluorescent long & short UV

Baryte with Fluorite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JMR46AP8: Book-like growths of lamellar Baryte crystals, much sharper than usual for specimens from this deposit, with good luster and an intense pink color, on a matrix of pale green Fluorite crystals.
The specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and was previously in the collection of duplicates of Joaquín Folch Girona.
Matagalls Mine (Sant Marçal Mines), Sant Marçal, Viladrau, Comarca Osona, Gerona / Girona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (±1961)

Specimen size: 7.3 × 5.6 × 4.3 cm = 2.87” × 2.20” × 1.69”

Fluorite fluorescent long & short UV

Former collection Folch (duplicates)

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

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Calcian Nontronite

If you want to know more about these calcian Nontronites please follow this link

Mimetite on Galena from Atrevida Mine

Mimetite coating Galena and with Baryte

NL12AC3: An important find this last summer of 2015 uncovered a single geode in the well-known and old Atrevida mine, with crusts of very well defined Mimetite crystals. They are millimetric in size, very well defined and translucent with a greenish-yellow color and they show an elongated prism and an acute dipyramid. The Mimetite is more or less completely coating isolated or grouped cubic Galena crystals that are implanted on a matrix upholstered by aggregates of lenticular white Baryte crystals. Furthermore most of the samples have small Pyromorphite aggregates and laminar Wulfenite crystals that can be observed by close inspection. The Mimetite from this mine was already known, but not with this so well defined and fine presentation, completely coating the Galena and absent on the Baryte.
Atrevida Mine, 'Amagada' pocket, Sur gallery, level 0, Vimbodí i Poblet, Comarca Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (15-16/07/2015)

Specimen size: 2.8 × 2.1 × 1.2 cm = 1.10” × 0.83” × 0.47”

Baryte minor fluorescence short UV

Mimetite coating Galena and with Baryte.

Mimetite with Galena and Baryte

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JBR63AP8: An important discovery in 2015 at the well-known Atrevida mine revealed a unique pocket with coatings of very sharp millimetric Mimetite crystals, translucent, greenish yellow in color, formed by an elongated prism and an acute bipyramid. Mimetite almost completely covers the cubic Galena crystals that are implanted in a matrix covered with aggregates of white lenticular Baryte crystals.
The specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Atrevida Mine, Vimbodí i Poblet, Comarca Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (15-16/07/2015)

Specimen size: 4.8 × 4.4 × 2.2 cm = 1.89” × 1.73” × 0.87”

Main crystal size: 1.8 × 1.6 cm = 0.71” × 0.63”

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Mimetite coating Galena and with Wulfenite and Baryte

NB96AE7: An important find in the well-known old Atrevida mine, in the summer of 2015 a single geode with crusts of very well defined Mimetite crystals was uncovered. They are millimetric in size, very well defined and translucent with a greenish-yellow color and they show an elongated prism and an acute dipyramid. The Mimetite is more or less completely coating isolated or grouped cubic Galena crystals that are implanted on a matrix upholstered by aggregates of lenticular white Baryte crystals. Furthermore, most of the samples have small Pyromorphite aggregates and laminar Wulfenite crystals that can be observed by close inspection. The Mimetite from this mine was already known, but not with such a well-defined and fine presentation, completely coating the Galena and absent on the Baryte.
Atrevida Mine, 'Amagada' pocket, Sur gallery, level 0, Vimbodí i Poblet, Comarca Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (15/12/2015)

Specimen size: 6.3 × 4.3 × 3.2 cm = 2.48” × 1.69” × 1.26”

Main crystal size: 2 × 1.9 cm = 0.79” × 0.75”

Baryte minor fluorescence short UV

Mimetite coating Galena and with Wulfenite and Baryte.

Mimetite coating Galena and with Baryte

NC27AE7: An important find in the well-known old Atrevida mine, in the summer of 2015 a single geode with crusts of very well defined Mimetite crystals was uncovered. They are millimetric in size, very well defined and translucent with a greenish-yellow color and they show an elongated prism and an acute dipyramid. The Mimetite is more or less completely coating isolated or grouped cubic Galena crystals that are implanted on a matrix upholstered by aggregates of lenticular white Baryte crystals. The Mimetite from this mine was already known, but not with such a well-defined and fine presentation, completely coating the Galena and absent on the Baryte.
Atrevida Mine, 'Amagada' pocket, Sur gallery, level 0, Vimbodí i Poblet, Comarca Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (15-16/12/2015)

Specimen size: 8.3 × 4.6 × 2.4 cm = 3.27” × 1.81” × 0.94”

Main crystal size: 1.3 × 1.1 cm = 0.51” × 0.43”

Baryte minor fluorescence short UV

Mimetite coating Galena and with Baryte

NA96AC3: An important find this last summer of 2015 uncovered a single geode in the well-known and old Atrevida mine, with crusts of very well defined Mimetite crystals. They are millimetric in size, very well defined and translucent with a greenish-yellow color and they show an elongated prism and an acute dipyramid. The Mimetite is more or less completely coating isolated or grouped cubic Galena crystals that are implanted on a matrix upholstered by aggregates of lenticular white Baryte crystals. Furthermore most of the samples have small Pyromorphite aggregates and laminar Wulfenite crystals that can be observed by close inspection. The Mimetite from this mine was already known, but not with this so well defined and fine presentation, completely coating the Galena and absent on the Baryte.
Atrevida Mine, 'Amagada' pocket, Sur gallery, level 0, Vimbodí i Poblet, Comarca Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, Catalonia / Catalunya Spain (15-16/07/2015)

Specimen size: 10.4 × 6 × 3.7 cm = 4.09” × 2.36” × 1.46”

Baryte minor fluorescence short UV

Sphalerite with Baryte

NX16L8: From the mining works close to the Aizpea Mines we offer this specimen formed by groups of complex Sphalerite crystals with curved faces and edges. More than vivid red to orange color. With some small tabular Baryte crystals. Really unusual.
Aizpea claim, Cerain mines, Zerain, Comarca Goyerri, Guipúzcoa / Gipuzkoa, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (01/2008)

Specimen size: 5.4 × 2.2 × 3.9 cm = 2.13” × 0.87” × 1.54”

Main crystal size: 0.2 × 0.2 cm = 0.08” × 0.08”

Baryte with Chalcopyrite

NX8L6: Parallel growth of idiomorphic Baryte crystals, one of them dominant, with excellent transparency and brilliance. Their upper and side faces have very well marked triangular growth figures that give the edges a sawtooth appearance. Also we can see corrosion and contact geometric structures on some faces. We call your attention to the interesting Chalcopyrite crystal inclusions, where the original yellow greenish color is preserved, while superficial crystals on Baryte faces are covered by a thin oxidation layer. The specimen is from mining works of Aizpea, close to the La Troya Mine.
Aizpea claim, Cerain mines, Zerain, Comarca Goyerri, Guipúzcoa / Gipuzkoa, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (03/2001)

Specimen size: 6.9 × 4.6 × 1.5 cm = 2.72” × 1.81” × 0.59”

Main crystal size: 6.9 × 2.5 cm = 2.72” × 0.98”

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Baryte with Dolomite

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NA61X9: Very sharp, complete and floater Baryte crystal, with inclusions and partially coated by a thin layer of small Dolomite crystals. Different.
Aizpea claim, Cerain mines, Zerain, Comarca Goyerri, Guipúzcoa / Gipuzkoa, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1999)

Specimen size: 7.4 × 3.9 × 1.9 cm = 2.91” × 1.54” × 0.75”

Minor fluorescence long & short UV

Datolite

N86RJ0: Group of well formed and bright crystals with the typical soft green color of the samples from this locality. Relatively plentiful the last decade of the past century, specimens from Errigoiti are actually quite scarce today.
Ofitas de Rigoitia Quarry, Memorikas, Errigoiti, Comarca Busturialdea-Urdaibai, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1996)

Specimen size: 6.9 × 5 × 4.8 cm = 2.72” × 1.97” × 1.89”

Main crystal size: 2.7 × 1.7 cm = 1.06” × 0.67”

Datolite with Quartz

Detail / Photo: Joaquim Callén

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JMX99AP8: Druse of equant Datolite crystals, very rich in forms, very translucent, with good luster and soft green color, partially covered by microcrystals of Quartz.
This specimen is one of the best for the locality, and comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and was previously in Santiago Jiménez García's.
Ofitas de Rigoitia Quarry, Memorikas, Errigoiti, Comarca Busturialdea-Urdaibai, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1991)

Specimen size: 10.8 × 6.5 × 4.6 cm = 4.25” × 2.56” × 1.81”

Main crystal size: 3.3 × 2.6 cm = 1.30” × 1.02”

Former collection of Santiago Jiménez García

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Siderite with Pyrite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JBC36AP8: Druse of lenticular Siderite crystals with a light brown color, good luster, and with coatings of Pyrite microcrystals.
The specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Bodovalle Mine, Gallarta, Abanto y Ciérvana/Abanto Zierbena, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1979)

Specimen size: 8.4 × 6.1 × 2.2 cm = 3.31” × 2.40” × 0.87”

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Dolomite (Fe-bearing dolomite)

Fluorescent light (daylight)

NLL16AO5: Iron-bearing Dolomite crystals with a very pronounced saddle shape, with strong curvatures and polycrystalline growths, with good luster and a color between light brown and pink, on matrix.
The specimen comes from the collection of Santiago Jiménez who, especially in the 1980s and '90s, managed to collect many rarities from urban and peri-urban areas of Northern Spain, very little disclosed before in the mineral collecting world.
El Covarón mines, Covarón (Kobaron), Muskiz, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 10 × 7.8 × 3.1 cm = 3.94” × 3.07” × 1.22”

Former collection of Santiago Jiménez García

Goethite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JJF6AP8: Very aerial columnar growths with botryoidal Goethite formations in color tones varying from black to yellow. A classic of Spanish mineralogy.
The specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and was previously in that of Martín Oliete Fontela.
La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1965)

Specimen size: 6.2 × 6.1 × 5.9 × cm = 2.44” × 2.40” × 2.32”

Main crystal size: 3.4 × 0.7 cm = 1.34” × 0.28”

Former collection of Martín Oliete

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

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Goethite

Recorded under neon light

EAH46CD6: Aggregate of botryoidal Goethite on matrix, with a uniform very dark black color, but with a luster that stands out for its high intensity, something not so common in the specimens found in La Arboleda, a mineralogically classic iron deposit for the Basque Country and which was so important for the development of its steel industry.
La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (+1980)

Specimen size: 7.5 × 6 × 4.2 cm = 2.95” × 2.36” × 1.65”

Goethite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

XM2230NXY: Botryoidal aggregate formed of Goethite crystals with a velvety luster and marked iridescence dominated by blue and mauve, on a limonite matrix. A great classic of Basque iron mining from La Arboleda, where the 'alirón' ('all iron all iron') was sung for the first time.
The specimen belonged to Santiago Jiménez who, especially in the 1980s and 90s, assembled an excellent collection with a very good representation of the mineralogy of northern Spain.

La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 11.4 × 9.8 × 3.4 cm = 4.49” × 3.86” × 1.34”

Former collection of Santiago Jiménez García

Goethite

GR37AM2: Botryoidal Goethite growths with very fine surfaces, very shiny and dense black in color. The specimen, from one of the great classical Spanish iron ore deposits, comes from the Pedro Goy collection, whose very detailed catalogue entry will be sent to the buyer.
La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 12 × 10.4 × 6.3 cm = 4.72” × 4.09” × 2.48”

Former collection of Pedro Goy

Goethite

NA86AJ5: Botryoidal growths with very acute terminations and recrystallization, with a deep black color and bright. A Spanish classic.
La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 15.7 × 13.2 × 6.3 cm = 6.18” × 5.20” × 2.48”

Goethite

TC220NA: Botryoidal Goethite growths with very fine, shiny and dense black surfaces. The specimen comes from one of the great classical Spanish iron deposits, via the Lluís Daunis collection, whose autograph label we will send to the buyer.
La Arboleda Mines, La Arboleda (Zugaztieta), Valle de Trápaga/Trapagaran, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 16.3 × 7.6 × 7.1 cm = 6.42” × 2.99” × 2.80”

With label from the Lluís Daunis Collection

Quartz (variety amethyst)

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JRB63AP8: Druse of transparent Quartz crystals, very lustrous and with an intense and uniform violet color (amethyst variety). Amethyst is a relative rarity for the locality, so only a few specimens were obtained.
This one comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and previously belonged to Martín Oliete Fontela.
Enekuri pillow-lavas outcrop, Enekuri, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (±1986)

Specimen size: 2.9 × 2.6 × 2 cm = 1.14” × 1.02” × 0.79”

Main crystal size: 1 × 0.7 cm = 0.39” × 0.28”

Former collection of Martín Oliete

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Calcite (variety faden)

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Rear

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JJM46AP8: Elongated growth of elongated scalenohedral crystals of Calcite, in fact a parallel growth along a highly visible faden thread.
A super-rarity that comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 11.4 × 3.7 × 2.3 cm = 4.49” × 1.46” × 0.91”

Minor fluorescence short UV

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Calcite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JBC14AP8: Group of Calcite crystals with the so-called nailhead habit formed by a prism and the terminations of a flattened rhombohedron. They are translucent, with dark Goethite inclusions. A Spanish classic, very difficult to find nowadays, from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1973)

Specimen size: 4.8 × 3.1 × 3.4 cm = 1.89” × 1.22” × 1.34”

Main crystal size: 3.6 × 1.1 cm = 1.42” × 0.43”

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

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Rear

Calcite with Goethite inclusions

Fluorescent light (daylight)

NBN14AO4: Group of Calcite crystals with the so-called "nail head" habit, formed by a prism and the terminal faces of a flattened rhombohedron. Translucent and with dark Goethite inclusions.
A Spanish classic, very difficult to find nowadays.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 5.5 × 5 × 4.2 cm = 2.17” × 1.97” × 1.65”

Main crystal size: 5.5 × 2 cm = 2.17” × 0.79”

Calcite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JRB30AP8: Group of Calcite crystals with the so-called nailhead habit formed by a prism and the terminations of a flattened rhombohedron. They are translucent, with dark Goethite inclusions.
A Spanish classic, very difficult to find nowadays and which comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and was previously in Santiago Jiménez García's.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1973)

Specimen size: 10 × 8.6 × 6.1 cm = 3.94” × 3.39” × 2.40”

Main crystal size: 4.4 × 1.6 cm = 1.73” × 0.63”

Former collection of Santiago Jiménez García

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Front / Photo: Joaquim Callén	Side / Photo: Joaquim Callén
Side / Photo: Joaquim Callén

Calcite with Goethite inclusions

Fluorescent light (daylight)

EEB27AO9: Obtained at Ste. Marie 2022
Group of Calcite crystals with the habit known as “nailheads”; formed by a prism with flattened rhombohedron terminations. They are translucent, shiny, colored pale yellow with dark Goethite inclusions. A Spanish classic, very difficult to find nowadays.
The specimen comes from the collection of Guy Jusseau, from Lyon.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 11.2 × 5.8 × 6.2 cm = 4.41” × 2.28” × 2.44”

Main crystal size: 5.2 × 2.3 cm = 2.05” × 0.91”

Former collection of Guy Jusseau (Lyon)

Calcite

MR76L3: A classic, not easy to get now. Its condition is perfect and the crystals are more aerial than usual.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 11.3 × 6.5 × 7.6 cm = 4.45” × 2.56” × 2.99”

Main crystal size: 4.5 × 1.8 cm = 1.77” × 0.71”

Calcite with Goethite inclusions

Front

Side

Fluorescent light (daylight)

TVF54AQ1: Druse of Calcite crystals rich in faces with the dominant forms of the prism and a very flattened apical rhombohedron, translucent, lustrous, and rich in Goethite inclusions.
A Spanish classic of great quality.
Julia Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 14 × 11.3 × 6.2 cm = 5.51” × 4.45” × 2.44”

Main crystal size: 4.7 × 2 cm = 1.85” × 0.79”

Calcite with Dolomite and Quartz

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JAB16AP8: Doubly terminated crystal of Calcite with a curved profile and microcrystalline surfaces, translucent, of
uniform yellow color, on matrix. The unusual morphology of the crystal is characteristic of this
locality.
The specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Malaespera Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1997)

Specimen size: 7.7 × 5.7 × 2.6 cm = 3.03” × 2.24” × 1.02”

Main crystal size: 5.8 × 2.4 cm = 2.28” × 0.94”

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Galena with Sphalerite and Dolomite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JAM96AP8: Groups of Galena crystals with curvatures and “melted” shapes, very lustrous and on matrix with small white Dolomite crystals and groups of very sharp, translucent and very lustrous crystals of Sphalerite.
This different kind of specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly.
Malaespera Mine, Barrio de la Peña, Bilbao, Comarca Gran Bilbao, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain (1995)

Specimen size: 7.1 × 5.1 × 4.2 cm = 2.80” × 2.01” × 1.65”

Main crystal size: 1.1 × 0.6 cm = 0.43” × 0.24”

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Calcite

Fluorescent light (daylight)

NFM76AO7: Group of yellow scalenohedral Calcite crystals, acute, translucent, with good luster. The specimen comes from the collection of Santiago Jiménez who, especially in the 1980s and '90s, managed to collect many rarities from urban and suburban areas of the North of Spain little disclosed before in the mineral collecting community.
Valle de Carranza Mines, Las Encartaciones, Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza, Comarca Las Encartaciones, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 7.1 × 6.3 × 4.4 cm = 2.80” × 2.48” × 1.73”

Main crystal size: 2.3 × 0.8 cm = 0.91” × 0.31”

Very fluorescent long & short UV

Former collection of Santiago Jiménez García

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Aragonite (variety Cu-bearing aragonite)

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Side

Fluorescent light (daylight)

JPB27AP8: Very aerial stalactitic growth of copper-bearing Aragonite, translucent and intense bluish green.
This very aesthetic specimen comes from the collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly and was previously in Carlos Prieto Paramio's.
Matienzo, Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza, Comarca Las Encartaciones, Vizcaya / Bizkaia, Basque Country (Euskadi) Spain

Specimen size: 7.6 × 5.8 × 3.7 cm = 2.99” × 2.28” × 1.46”

Main crystal size: 6.2 × 1.2 cm = 2.44” × 0.47”

Minor fluorescence long & short UV

Former collection of Carlos Prieto Paramio

Former collection of Andrés Jiménez Shelly

Reference Specimens
Spain

(para ver esta página en español)

Quartz and other Species from the Montseny / Montnegre areas

Calcian Nontronite

Mimetite on Galena from Atrevida Mine

Reference SpecimensSpain

(para ver esta página en español)

Quartz and other Species from the Montseny / Montnegre areas

Calcian Nontronite

Mimetite on Galena from Atrevida Mine

Reference Specimens
Spain