Expominer Virtual 2022

The Vault

MBL98AP3: Group of prismatic Pyromorphite crystals, many of them doubly terminated and with color zoning in the center of the crystals, some of them thicker and with hopper terminations. With small traces of matrix formed by tiny Galena crystals. In LED light, the specimen exhibits the greenish tones so typical of this deposit. From a classic locality for the mineralogy of Spain and the European Union, Minas de El Horcajo evokes splendid times in which green lead shone in the darkness of the Malacate and Argentífero shafts. Specimens from this locality and with this quality are increasingly difficult to obtain.
El Horcajo Mines, El Horcajo, Almodóvar del Campo, Comarca Campo de Calatrava, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha  Spain (±1910)

Specimen size: 6.7 × 4.8 × 3.2 cm = 2.64” × 1.89” × 1.26”

Main crystal size: 2.1 × 0.6 cm = 0.83” × 0.24”

NZL87AP3: A pair of interpenetrant Fluorite crystals of an exceptional size for the deposit, with a very deep and uniform purple-blue color, being of a darker tone, more intense on the edges (best seen in the backlit photo). The crystals have perfectly sharp cube faces with polycrystalline growths on the crystal faces and also on one of the edges, which may seem broken but, in reality, it is recrystallized with polycrystalline growths. Coming from the well-known Asturian mine of La Viesca, specifically from one of the best vugs ever found there: the Las Monjas vug, discovered in May 2010
La Viesca Mine, Las Monjas pocket, La Collada mining area, Huergo, Siero, Comarca Oviedo, Principality of Asturias (Asturias)  Spain (05/2010)

Specimen size: 17.3 × 14.4 × 8.3 cm = 6.81” × 5.67” × 3.27”

Main crystal size: 11 × 10.6 cm = 4.33” × 4.17”

EPX50AP3: Of exceptional size, a group of interpenetrating cubic Fluorite crystals totally covered by small Quartz crystals that give it a multitude of bright reflective points. The Fluorite crystals are a delicate green that looks good when backlit. Coming from an old French mine that was exploited for Fluorite and which was active between 1938 and 1971.
The specimen comes from the collection of Christophe Marot and was found by Grégoire de Bodinat and Sylvain Desfarge in 2009
Exhibited at Ste. Marie 2015 (La Fluorite Pierre d'Exception) and bears the commemorative label.
L'Avellan Mine, Massif L'Esterel, Fréjus, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur  France (12/2009)

Specimen size: 28.8 × 20.4 × 7.6 cm = 11.34” × 8.03” × 2.99”

Main crystal size: 7.6 × 7.2 cm = 2.99” × 2.83”

MLB16AP3: Obtained in Munich 2022
An important find mined between August and September 2022 in the Bou Nahas Mine in Morocco yielded a series of barytes, among them this floater specimen, formed by very thick tabular crystals of considerable dimensions, aerial and with perfectly defined faces and edges, of a very uniform light blue color, more yellowish towards the vertices of the crystals. As a curiosity, note that it is accompanied by small very white crystals of saccharoidal Quartz that is somehow reminiscent of a carbonate.
High quality for the locality.
Bou Nahas Mine, Oumjrane mining area, Alnif Commune, Tinghir Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region  Morocco (08-09/2022)

Specimen size: 12.4 × 10 × 6.4 cm = 4.88” × 3.94” × 2.52”

Main crystal size: 6.4 × 4.6 cm = 2.52” × 1.81”

MLR97AP3: Spherical aggregates formed of a multitude of acicular Malachite crystals of excellent, very deep and uniform green color, with their well-known velvety appearance, becoming darker in the center of the spheres, with a lighter colored edging at the ends of the needles. In rock matrix, the light colored Dolomite crystals stand out at the base of the piece creating a nice color contrast. Coming from a world class deposit, the Tsumeb Mine, at which two people, both now deceased, played a key role in the supply of quality specimens: Charles Key and Sidney Pieters, the latter having been the original source of this specimen, which was later in a French collection. We will send both labels to the buyer of the piece.
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region  Namibia

Specimen size: 9 × 7.7 × 3.5 cm = 3.54” × 3.03” × 1.38”

Main crystal size: 2 × 1.6 cm = 0.79” × 0.63”

MFA46AP3: Black and very lustrous Aegirine crystals, two of them clearly dominant, elongated and in parallel growth with very well defined faces and edges and perfectly terminated. Accompanied by a “waterfall” of crystals of very sharp cream-colored Orthoclase, Quartz (smoky variety) forming divergent groups and, especially interesting, crystals of orange colored Zircon growing on Quartz crystals. Sometimes misidentified as Xenotime, analysis confirms it to be Zircon, we will send a copy of the analysis to the buyer.
A superb piece with a very refined aesthetic.
Mount Malosa, Zomba District  Malawi (01/2021)

Specimen size: 14 × 7.2 × 5.6 cm = 5.51” × 2.83” × 2.20”

Main crystal size: 14 × 2.7 cm = 5.51” × 1.06”

MLX47AP3: Obtained at Munich 2022
Parallel growths of prismatic crystals of Beryl (emerald variety), doubly terminated, between transparent and translucent, with a very uniform green color, with three of the crystals clearly dominant. A gem quality floater sourced from the world's classic locality for the species, Muzo in Colombia. The color of the emerald is caused by chromophores like trivalent chromium or vanadium.
Muzo mining district, Western Emerald Belt, Boyacá Department  Colombia (2022)

Specimen size: 2.5 × 2 × 1.1 cm = 0.98” × 0.79” × 0.43”

Main crystal size: 1.7 × 0.8 cm = 0.67” × 0.31”

TPA62AP3: Enormous crystal of Bismuth with well defined faces and edges, a metallic grey color, on a crystalline Chalcopyrite matrix. On the back it exhibits polysynthetic twinning and dissolution forms. Among the largest crystals known for the species.
From the Piaotang Mine in China where tungsten and tin are extracted from quartz veins.
Piaotang Mine, Dayu, Ganzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province  China (2021)

Specimen size: 7.5 × 7.2 × 4.2 cm = 2.95” × 2.83” × 1.65”

Main crystal size: 7.5 × 4.5 cm = 2.95” × 1.77”

MFR6AP3: One of the best, if not the best, Imayoshiite of very large size, coming from the 2021 finds that yielded the best known so far for the species. On a good size group of very lustrous twinned Sphalerite crystals several Calcite crystals with dominant scalenohedral forms have been precipitated and then were in turn covered almost entirely by whitish Shinichengite (this new mineral species was initially labeled as possible Tobermorite-Clinotobermorite) and, finally, a large quantity of Imayoshiite crystals of a pale cream color. Thanks to three "windows" in the Calcite crystals we can see the whole process of formation. This very "geological" specimen has been analyzed and we will send a copy of the analysis to the buyer.
To learn more about this species and the rest of the paragenesis discovered so far in this mine it is essential to read the article ‘Rare Borate Minerals from the Shijiangshan-Shalonggou Deposits, Hexigten Banner, Inner Mongolia, China', whose authors are César Menor-Salván, Berthold Ottens and Ed Richard, featured in Rocks & Minerals, September/October 2021, volume 96, number 5
Shijiangshan Mine, Shijiangshan village, Yinwu, Linxi, Ulanhad League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region  China (09/2021)

Specimen size: 22.3 × 13.7 × 4.8 cm = 8.78” × 5.39” × 1.89”

Main crystal size: 1.1 × 0.8 cm = 0.43” × 0.31”