The Tucson-Houston Show 2009 Mineral Rooms!
Re-Updated January 4th, 2010
 Photo by Joe Budd |
VERY RARE and EXCEPTIONAL!!
Tremendous specimen featuring a fully terminated, 4
cm crystal of gemmy Phosphophyllite
on Siderite and Pyrite matrix! I can't stress just how rare matrix Phosphophyllites are!
This
mineral was discovered at the
Unificada Mine in the late 1950's and due to the extreme
dangers of mining it, very few specimens have come to light in the decades since. Even
fewer fine crystals of large size on matrix have been discovered and this is only the
second
matrix specimen that I've offered in the past twelve years! A piece of this caliber comes
to market maybe once every 5 or so years so this is indeed a rare opportunity. This
crystal is not only large, it is also fully twinned with a beautiful aqua-green
coloration.
The multiple crystal faces are glassy and bounce light around like a faceted jewel.
From the Unificada Mine, Cerro Rico,
Potosí City, Potosi Dept., Bolivia.
Measures 4.7 cm by 4.4 cm in size.
Currently in the Kevin Ward Mineral Collection
Price $22,500
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Cabinet plate of orange Quartz
crystals in cluster!
These are some of my favorite Quartz specimens
but rarely appear on the market these days.
I found this large plate in Tucson and was happy to see that nearly every Quartz was
complete
and terminated. Each point is further accented by a coating of white Quartz near the base
and a
scattering of micro-Pyrite crystals. An VERY impressive plate in extraordinarily fine
condition!
From 2nd Sovietski Mine in Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia.
Measures 12 cm by 13.7 cm in size.
Price $3500
 |
MIN#Tucson2009-123 NEW!
Lustrous balls of Pyrite atop
pinkish-lavender Fluorite!
From an amazing recent find of botryoidal Fluorite - this specimen is heavy on the Pyrite
with nine ball-like clusters of the most intense luster you can imagine. One of the Pyrite
clusters actually has an impression that was filled by Fluorite, creating an
"eye" appearance.
From the Shangbao Mine, Hunan Province
of China.
Measures 5.5 cm by 7.1 cm in size.
Price $1500
 |
Fine slightly yellowish-green
Pyromorphite crystals on matrix!
Pretty specimen with lustrous faces and terminations
and no detectable damage.
From the Daoping Mine, Guangxi Zhuang A. R., China.
Measures 6 cm by 5.8 cm in size.
Price $485
 |
Fine hexagonal crystals of
yellowish-green Pyromorphite matrix!
Pretty specimen with lustrous faces and terminations
and no detectable damage to speak of,
only tiny spots of unimportant chatter. The largest center crystal measures 5 mm in
size!
From the Bastenberg Mine, Ramsbeck, Sauerland,
Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland
Measures 4.9 cm by 5.5 cm in size.
Price $385
 |
UNIQUE!! Multi-colored Smithsonite
with orange caps!
I call this the "Mushroom Smithsonite"
because the orange caps over the surface growth
look like the tops of mushrooms. Actually, you have three distinct layers of growth on
this
unique looking specimen. The first is a misty-blue layer which covers the matrix. The
second
is a more lustrous white layer. The third and final is the most lustrous yet - the orange
colored
top layer of Cadmium Smithsonite which only appears draped atop the other two layers.
One
must wonder if the Cadmium layer appeared last and never completed its growth or were the
sides etched away leaving only the caps? I see evidence of both possibilites but the
former seems the
most likely explanation. Whatever the cause, it resulted in a specimen that is both odd
and beautiful.
From the El Refugio Mine, Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico.
Measures 6.8 cm by 12 cm by 4.4 cm in size.
Price $2850
 |
Classic Pyromorphite specimen from
Pennsylvania!
Attractive specimen from this old mining locality
featuring a fine cluster of olive-green Pyromorphite
crystals nestled inside a small matrix impression. Most of the main crystals are
complete and fully
terminated but there are some scattered breakages around the periphery. This is pretty
much the norm.
From the Wheatley Mine, Phoenixville Mining District,
Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Measures 7.5 cm by 8.5 cm in size.
Ex. Hansen Mineral Collection.
Price $545
 |
Fine crystals of purple Fluorite with
Calcite and a large Galena!
Very attractive specimen which reminds one of an
Weardale Fluorite combo but this
is an Illinois specimen. The color is quite good with a light internal zoning just
under
satiny crystal faces. The 2.6 cm Galena is pristine all around with modified corners.
From the Denton Mine, Hardin County, Illinois.
Measures 8.5 cm by 6.8 cm in size.
Ex. Steve Smale Collection
Price $1500
 |
Glassy crystal of Red Beryl perched
atop Rhyolite matrix!
The Beryl crystal is fully terminated at top with
only minor inclusions. It's pretty
much in perfect form except for a tiny spot of irregularity near the upper right edge.
This is matrix influenced and of little importance as well as being nearly invisible
without
a 10X. The color of the Beryl is very deep and tranlucent in portions. It measures
1.2 cm.
From the Wah Wah Mountains, Juab County, Utah.
Measures 7 cm by 5.4 cm in size.
Ex. Martin Zinn Mineral Collection
Price $2500
 |
MIN#Tucson2009-131 SOLD!
Attractive Illinois mineral combo!
Glowing cubes of golden Fluorite with Calcite atop large Sphalerite crystals!
From the Rosiclare Level, Minerva Mine #1, Hardin County,
Illinois.
Measures 7 cm by 10.8 cm in size.
Price $650
 |
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MIN#Tucson2009-132 NEW!
Exceptional and very rare
specimen of Beryl var. Morganites with an enhydro!
Superb California Morganite specimen featuring
two glassy Morganites which gradually shift
towards Goshenite near the Albite matrix. The largest crystal measures 4.5 cm by 4.2 cm in
size
and features a large and quite easy to move water bubble (enhydro) just under the surface.
I love
enhydro specimens and always find them fascinating. It's amazing how a drop of water can
become
entrapped over the many years it takes for a large Beryl to grow and completely encase it.
This
enhydro is easily rolled back and forth by tipping the specimen. The color shift from
Morganite
to Goshenite is also rare and unusual. The underlying matrix is mainly Albite and Smoky
Quartz.
From the Oceanview Mine, San Diego County, California.
Measures 10.8 cm by 7.2 cm by 8.3 cm in total
size.
Ex. Bill Larson Collection
Price $6500
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MIN#Tucson2009-133 NEW!
Very fine specimen of Olivenite on Calcite
crystals!
I can't recall seeing a better or more aesthetic example of Olivenite from Greece.
From the Christiana Mine, Laurion, Greece.
Measures 7 cm by 8 cm in size.
Price $585
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MIN#Tucson2009-134 NEW!
Stunning specimen of Rhodochrosite on
needle Quartz with Hubnerite!
This is one of the finest Hedgehog miniatures that I've seen! The largest rhomb
measures 2.2 cm in size and displays a vibrance of color that you usually don't find
in Hedgehog Pocket specimens. All the Rhodochrosite surfaces are glassy and complete
with some natural facial stepping on the left corner. The rhomb is completely pristine!
From the Hedgehog Pocket, Main Stope Drift, Sweet Home Mine,
Alma, Colorado.
Measures 5 cm by 4.8 cm in size.
Price $5500
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MIN#Tucson2009-135 NEW!
Cute specimen of Native Wire Silver atop
Acanthite and Stephanite!
This attractive little specimen has a classic "S" curve wire. Very Aesthetic!
From the Pohla Mine, Erzgebirge, Upper Saxony, Germany.
Measures 2.4 cm by 2.1 cm in size.
Price $385
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MIN#Tucson2009-136 SOLD!
Multi-colored cluster of Fluorite crystals
with Galena cubes set atop Quartz!
The Fluorite crystals range from reddish-purple to blue in color and actually change
color according to the light source! Under sunlight they turn blue and under an
incandescent
light source they turn more purplish. Both Galena cubes are uncoated and very lustrous.
From the Blanchard Claims, Bingham, Socorro County, New
Mexico.
Measures 12.2 cm by 6.6 cm in size.
Price $485
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MIN#Tucson2009-137 NEW!
Fine fibrous cluster of Malachite crystals
set against blue Shattuckite (nodules)!
From the Kaokoveld Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region,
Namibia.
Measures 3.4 cm by 4.1 cm in size.
Price $485
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MIN#Tucson2009-138 NEW!
Sparkling specimen of drusy covered Agate
stalactites!
From Chihuahua, Mexico.
Measures 5.5 cm by 2.7 cm in size.
Ex. Martin Zinn Stalactite Collection
Price $185
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MIN#Tucson2009-139 NEW!
Fine specimen of Azurite
"rosettes" on matrix!
From the Metcalf Mine in Morenci, Greenlee County, Arizona.
Measures 8 cm by 6 cm in size.
Price $485
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MIN#Tucson2009-140 NEW!
Fine reddish-orange crystals of Crocoite
in cluster!
From Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia.
Measures 4.7 cm by 6.2 cm in size.
Price $150
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