This is a superb Graves Mountain rutile crystal – it has it all. Top mirror-bright lustre, sharp faces, text book form and even some deep red internal glints under bright light. At a glance this crystal appears untwinned, but rutile crystals from Graves Mountain are usually twinned, and upon close inspection one can see tiny […]

This is a large rutile crystal! It is well defined, and although hard to make out in the photographs, it’s twinned. The crystal looks great from the display angle (first two photos), even though the backside is incomplete. The third photo is taken from above the crystal, looking down on the termination. The crystal has […]

Twinned rutile crystals in matrix from the world’s preeminent rutile locality. These rutile crystals are sharp, complex and well-defined. They have good lustre and are in very good condition considering they were embedded in solid rock and include pyrophyllite contacts. One crystal at lower right is missing and the one at lower left is not […]

A beautiful twinned rutile from Graves Mountain with minor pyrophyllite in association. This is a dramatic twin – the crystals are of approximately the same size, and they are sharp and lustrous. Under strong light, the deep red colour is apparent. In excellent condition (minor spots of contact/intergrowth with enclosing pyrophyllite that is no longer […]

A sharp, well-defined twinned rutile from Graves Mountain. This is a great crystal, with textbook proportions and symmetry for the locality. In excellent condition, no damage. Stands perfectly for display as photographed. From the Pete Richards collection, this is a sweet rutile! About Pete Richards (click here)

This piece features two ball-like aggregates of sharp thomsonite crystals, associated with stilbite crystals and tiny sparkling heulandite crystals. (This is thomsonite-Ca.) The thomsonite crystals are  easily seen projecting into the protected space in the middle of the specimen – they are sharp. In excellent condition – no damage – the thomsonite balls look uneven because […]

A cream-coloured ball of thomsonite crystals perched on stilbite blades, dotted with tiny heulandite crystals. (This is thomsonite-Ca.) The thomsonite ball is tightly packed and even with a loupe, the crystals are very small and not easily discerned from one another. The stilbite crystals are a delicate pale pink. In excellent condition. Looks great! From […]

Two stacked thomsonite balls with stilbite crystals. The thomsonite crystals are lustrous and individual crystals are easily discerned. (This is thomsonite-Ca.) The thomsonite crystals radiate from the centre of the balls outward, but a myriad of tiny crystals in all directions cover the surfaces of each ball.  The stilbite blades are sharp with great lustre. […]

A beautiful piece with one main ball of thomsonite crystals along with stilbite crystals and a smaller partial thomsonite ball. (This is thomsonite-Ca.) This thomsonite ball has a lot of sparkle under the lights. Under magnification (with a loupe) one can see that in addition to the thomsonite crystals radiating out from the centre of […]

This specimen is comprised of balls and clustered thomsonite crystals, intergrown with and adorned by clustered stilbite blades. It’s a great piece to examine closely, and also impressive overall – the top thomsonite ball is about 3cm in diameter, although is somewhat hidden by all the stilbite crystals. Up close, the individual thomsonite crystals are […]

A very different specimen – these are balls of green thomsonite crystals on sparkling analcime with pale pink stilbite. There was native copper in this same seam, and the green colour is due to the presence of copper. The thomsonite balls (thomsonite-Ca) are comprised of crystals radiating from the centre, and a partial ball on […]

A large (2.6 cm) ball of radiating thomsonite crystals with stilbite crystals and additional tufts of thomsonite in between stilbite blades. The thomsonite crystals are easily visible using a loupe and the stilbite blades are sharp and lustrous. In excellent condition – no damage. This is a great specimen from the small find in 2020. […]