Munich Virtual 2020

The Vault

NF92AM1: Fluorite crystals, one of them clearly dominant and very aerial, with a cubic habit beveled by the dodecahedron, transparent, very shiny, with a bluish lilac color. On matrix, with white Quartz crystals. An excellent Spanish classic, of great quality.
Llamas Quarry, Obdulia vein, Caravia mining area, Las Cabañas, Duyos, Caravia, Comarca Oriente, Principality of Asturias (Asturias)  Spain

Specimen size: 8.1 × 4.8 × 6.4 cm = 3.19” × 1.89” × 2.52”

Main crystal size: 1.9 × 1.8 cm = 0.75” × 0.71”

ER92AM1: Group of Fluorapatite crystals with a short prismatic habit, extraordinarily transparent, with good luster and a somewhat bluish green color, with geometric zoning, on a Quartz crystal matrix with flattened Ferberite crystals and lenticular Siderite crystals. This is an old piece, as one no longer sees Fluorapatite pieces with this color and transparency.
The specimen has been reviewed, photographed and published in the Russian magazine ‘Mineral Observer’ on page 84 in the volume 26/2021, number 1, and in the magazine ‘Paragénesis’, number 02/2021, page 102
Minas da Panasqueira, Aldeia de São Francisco de Assis, Covilhã, Castelo Branco, Cova da Beira, Centro  Portugal

Specimen size: 14.5 × 10.7 × 7.8 cm = 5.71” × 4.21” × 3.07”

Main crystal size: 1.5 × 1.1 cm = 0.59” × 0.43”

EX92AM1: Short doubly terminated prismatic Fluorapatite crystal, with very well defined faces and edges, lustrous, and with a distinct geometric color zoning, popularly known in Panasqueira as “olho de boi” (ox's eye), with intense and uniform blue-violet prism faces. On a matrix of Quartz crystals, with lenticular Siderite crystals, Chlorite coatings and leafy Muscovite aggregates. This color is very rare in Panasqueira and more so in pieces of such quality, which are usually old pieces, as in this case.
Minas da Panasqueira, Aldeia de São Francisco de Assis, Covilhã, Castelo Branco, Cova da Beira, Centro  Portugal

Specimen size: 11.6 × 7.8 × 6.5 cm = 4.57” × 3.07” × 2.56”

Main crystal size: 4 × 2.1 cm = 1.57” × 0.83”

EV37AM1: Group of very sharp crystals with a cubic habit, translucent, with good luster and an extraordinarily intense and vivid blue color, with inclusions of small Chalcopyrite crystals. Due to its color, one would guess that it is a specimen from Puy-Saint-Gulmier or from the Le Beix mine, but in reality it comes from Le Burc, where Fluorites very rarely have this intensity of color.
The specimen is from the prestigious Pierre-Marie Guy fluorite collection.
Le Burc Mine, Alban-Le Fraysse area, Tarn, Occitanie  France

Specimen size: 10.7 × 8.5 × 6.1 cm = 4.21” × 3.35” × 2.40”

Main crystal size: 8 × 5.5 cm = 3.15” × 2.17”

FR87AM1: Druse on matrix of very sharp crystals with a cubic habit, transparent, lustrous, and with an extraordinarily intense and vivid yellow color and the characteristic geometric blue zoning on the crystal edges.
The specimen is from the prestigious Pierre-Marie Guy fluorite collection.
Valzergues Mines, Valzergues, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, Occitanie  France (±2010)

Specimen size: 16.2 × 8.8 × 4.6 cm = 6.38” × 3.46” × 1.81”

Main crystal size: 2 × 1.7 cm = 0.79” × 0.67”

ET73AM1: New (in part) after the 2020 Sainte Marie Virtual show. From a classic Turkish locality but with a different morphology and color. With its vertical twin plane, this crystal, which is transparent and of great fineness and quality, has excellent terminal faces and very good luster. With yellow-green tones and very distinct dichroism, its color changes between soft red and green, this being visible in all kinds of light, even natural light.
Ilbir Mountain, Pinarcik, Milâs District, Muğla Province, Aegean Region  Turkey (2020)

Specimen size: 4.6 × 1.1 × 0.6 cm = 1.81” × 0.43” × 0.24”

ER94AM1: A large doubly terminated scepter and stepped crystal of Diaspore with polycrystalline terminations, transparent, lustrous, yellow with green reflections and partially covered in some areas by leafy growths of Margarite. A very remarkable specimen both for its size and color and for its perfection.
The specimen has been reviewed, photographed and published in the Russian magazine ‘Mineral Observer’ on page 86 in the volume 26/2021, number 1
Ilbir Mountain, Pinarcik, Milâs District, Muğla Province, Aegean Region  Turkey (2020)

Specimen size: 14.9 × 3.6 × 1.7 cm = 5.87” × 1.42” × 0.67”

EB92AM1: Floater group of sharp Borcarite crystals, a very rare borate-carbonate. The crystals exhibit very well defined forms, are translucent, with a uniform green color and are partially covered by small, well-defined white crystals of Cahnite, an arsenate which is also considered very rare.
Shijiangshan Mine, Yinwu, Linxi, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region  China (2011)

Specimen size: 2.6 × 1.7 × 1.4 cm = 1.02” × 0.67” × 0.55”

Main crystal size: 1.4 × 0.8 cm = 0.55” × 0.31”

EA16AM1: Very aerial floater group of sharp Borcarite crystals, a very rare borate-carbonate. The crystals show well defined shapes, are translucent, with a uniform green color, and are partially covered by small, sharp white crystals of Cahnite, another very rare arsenate. Exceptional!
The specimen has been reviewed, photographed and published in the Russian magazine ‘Mineral Observer’ on page 86 in the volume 26/2021, number 1
Shijiangshan Mine, Yinwu, Linxi, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region  China (2011)

Specimen size: 3 × 1.6 × 1.1 cm = 1.18” × 0.63” × 0.43”

ET26AM1: Extraordinarily shiny floater crystal of Wittichenite with complex polycrystalline growths dominated by finely striated prism faces and smoother bipyramid faces. The specimen was part of the lucky find in 1981 from which only a few crystals were recovered, since then considered "icons" as they are the best known for the species.
The sample has been noted and photographed in the article 'Wittichenite from the Cattle Grid Pit, Mount Gunson mine, South Australia' of the ‘Mineralogical Record‘ magazine on page 140 in the volume 44, number 2, March-April 2013, and published in the Russian magazine ‘Mineral Observer’ on page 87 in the volume 26/2021, number 1
Cattle Grid deposit (Mount Gunson), Mount Gunson Copper mines, Pernatty Lagoon, Stuart Shelf, South Australia  Australia (1981)

Specimen size: 3.2 × 2.4 × 0.8 cm = 1.26” × 0.94” × 0.31”