An absolutely gorgeous stepped fluorite crystal with superb colour zoning from the Shangbao Mine. The Shangbao Mine, which is nestled in a bamboo forest, was originally a small pyrite ore operation. However, commercial mining operations ended decades ago and for many years has been operated for specimens. The fluorite specimens from the Shangbao Mine are […]

Detailed Description This is a superb display specimen – very light lavender fluorite crystals on brilliant water clear needle quartz crystals, from the Shangbao Mine. The fluorite crystals each have dodecahedral and cubic faces, and they are intergrown in a line. They are sharp and transparent with good lustre (the cube faces are particularly bright […]

This is a beautiful display specimen of stibnite from the modern-classic locality, the Xikuangshan deposit. The stibnite crystals are sharp and lustrous, and the overall appearance of crystals radiating from a central point is dramatic. In excellent condition, minor incomplete crystals, and stands perfectly for display as photographed. From the John S. White collection. About […]

This is a top-level brazilianite, with two primary crystals and a number of smaller ones, perched on top of a stack of albite crystals. The brazilianite crystals are sharp, with glassy lustre, good colour and good translucence (each has even a bit of transparency in spots). In excellent condition – the main crystal is pristine […]

This is such a great vug, with three weloganite crystals on quartz crystals from the Francon Quarry. The Francon Quarry in Montreal was the type locality for weloganite, and has been closed for a long time now (being filled as a landfill site, sadly). Francon was the world’s only locality for specimens of weloganite larger […]

A large well-formed barite crystal together with smaller barites and dolomite crystals, there is lots more to this specimen – it is one of those mineral specimens that turns into a world of interest once you examine it closely. When viewed quickly, it appears to be a good-sized, textbook-form barite crystal on matrix. However… There […]

A perfect golden barite crystal (0.6 cm) perched on dolomite crystals from the Newfoundland Zinc Mine, Daniel’s Harbour, Newfoundland, N.L., Canada. This mine has been closed for a long time, and we don’t often see great specimens available from there. This barite crystal is exquisite – it is transparent and in pristine condition. From the […]

Crystals of barite together with calcite from Whale Cove, Nova Scotia. The barite crystals are sharp and well formed with good lustre (brilliant lustre on the prism faces). The barite crystals are zoned, as you can see in the second photo – very cool. The calcite crystals are complex and unusual – they are little […]

Tabular crystals of fluorapophyllite with striking internal zoning, with inclusions of hematite, chalcopyrite and, I believe, clinochlore. The fluorapophyllites are associated with calcite crystals (which themselves seem to have inclusions of both chalcopyrite and clinochlore) – the calcite crystals have lower lustre.  I would support this specimen to stand for display as in the first […]

An elegant specimen with compact balls of sparkling dolomite crystals on calcite from the Brunswick No. 12 Mine in the Bathurst mining camp, New Brunswick. The specimen was labeled “siderite” (be the person from whom Steve acquired it) and I have not had it tested, but I believe it to be dolomite. From the Steve […]

A fluorapatite crystal in orange calcite from the classic locality, the Yates Mine, Otter Lake, Quebec (now closed and the land has been reclaimed). The main crystal is complete, doubly-terminated, with a mix of green and brown colouring. The crystal also evidences the calcite vein-dike environment in which it formed – in this case, the […]

A doubly-terminated fluorapatite crystal from the classic locality, the Yates Mine, Otter Lake, Quebec (now closed and the land has been reclaimed). This crystal is complete, with well-defined terminations, good lustre and good green colour at each end. The crystal also evidences the calcite vein-dike environment in which it formed – the surface has hollows […]