 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Gallery 4 Fluorite & Calcite Specimens |
|||||||||
|
C-277 Calcite $1200 Hilton Deposit, Borrego Springs, San Diego County, CA 29 x 17.3 x 11.5 cm A dramatic and huge plate of large Calcite crystals of from south-eastern San Diego County. This impressive specimen features bladed crystals of Calcite measuring up to 10 centimeters in size. The Calcite crystals fluoresce a light-hued red\pink color. Known by locals as "The Calcite Mine" this location was operated from 1942 to 1944 for the Polaroid Corporation to produce optic grade Calcite in order to make the Polaroid Optical Ring Gun-sight. This specimen was a part of my award winning mineral collection and was judged best specimen from San Diego County and won the prestigious Josephine Scripps award in the mineral competition at the 2014 San Diego County Fair where there is some serious competition from local "heavy-weight" type mineral collectors. This location has been off-limits to collectors since 1974 when the area surrounding it was designated Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
F-252 etched Fluorite $65 William Wise Mine, Westmoreland, Cheshire County, NH 3.5 x 2.7 x 2.5 cm The most famous Fluorites from any locality in New England are from the William Wise Mine. Wise Mine Fluorites such as this one have a bright glowing green that is not matched in Fluorites from anywhere else. These specimens are well-known among collectors for their rich color and gemminess. This piece has a rich green color with surface etching that makes for an attractive specimen.
Q-436 Calcite on Quartz with Sphalerite & Bitumen $100 W.L. Davis-Deardorff Mine, Ozark-Mahoning Group, Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County, IL 11.5 x 5.5 x 3 cm This specimen features many lustrous & glassy Quartz crystals which makes up much of this piece. One side has a scattering of lustrous, black Sphalerite crystals and a patch of Bitumen. The other side features numerous crystals of creamy-yellow Calcite. Quartz is rare in the other nearby mines of the district. This is classic, old-time material from this mine. Open for only a short time in the mid-1900's the mine closed by the early 1960s. The Deardorff was considered to be THE specimen mine of this period in Southern Illinois.
F-248 Fluorite on Microcline $75 Erongo Mountain, Karibib, Erongo Region, Namibia 6.9 x 5.7 x 4.1 cm A translucent, color-zoned crystal of Fluorite measuring 3.5 cm accented by many smaller crystals on a little bit of corroded Microcline. I consider these Fluorite specimens every bit as interesting and desirable as the Beryl and Tourmaline specimens from Erongo.
C-123 Calcite on Siderite $50 Turt Mine, Satu Mare, Maramures, Romania 7 x 6.5 x 3 cm. A very interesting specimen from a well-known Romanian mineral location. This specimen features a 2 x 2 cm. crystal of Siderite that has replaced the mineral Calcite, with many smaller sphere-shaped stacks of Siderite, upon which sit numerous clusters of Calcite exhibiting the same peculiar habit.
C-272 Calcite & Galena $95 Sweetwater Mine, Ellington, Viburnum Trend District, Reynolds County, MO 10 x 4.4 x 3.4 cm This golden-yellow Calcite crystal sits proudly in a nest of Galena crystals with the odd millimeter or so-sized Chalcopyrite thrown in for good measure. This specimen's termination is intact. This Calcite crystal is much clearer than the photos lead you to believe. A excellent example of Viburnum Trend Calcite.
F-251 Fluorite with Quartz $35 Taolin Mine, Linxiang County, Yueyang, Hunan, China 5.8 x 5 x 3.7 This peculiar Fluorite specimen is from a find made about 12-14 years ago. This light-green Fluorite is a lightly etched and is topped with a cuboctahedron. It is coated on one side with small crystals of Quartz. An unusual specimen from a lesser known Chinese Fluorite locality.
C-275 Calcite on Fluorite $75 Minerva #1 Mine, Ozark-Mahoning Group, Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County, IL 12.1 x 8.1 x 5.5 cm Yellow-orange and slightly rounded crystals of Calcite exhibiting parallel growth. This specimen has a good lustre and is on a matrix of Fluorite.
C-273 Calcite with sand inclusions $40 Rattlesnake Butte, Jackson County, SD 6.2 x 5.5 x 2.7 cm A sculptural pair of interconnected, scalenohedral Calcite crystals. The Calcite grew in a sand matrix, capturing the sand as it formed making for an opaque specimen. These specimens were collected heavily in the 1960s-1970s and are seldom seen these days as much of this area is within an Indian reservation and collecting is prohibited.
C-227 Calcite on Celestite $50 Stoneco White Rock Quarry, Clay Center, Ottawa County, OH 6.5 x 6.3 x 3.9 cm. A cluster of lustrous, light-yellow, scalenohedral Calcite crystals, some of which are double-terminated on a matrix that is sprinkled with many millimeter-sized crystals of Celestite. The Calcites are translucent and all are undamaged. Uncommon material from a mine that is better known for its Fluorite And Celestite specimens.
F-238 Fluorite $45 Moscona Mine, Solís, Corvera de Asturias, Asturias, Spain 6.5 x 6.5 x 2.6 cm. A plate of gemmy honey-yellow Fluorite crystals. The Moscona Mine was, at one time, a big producer of specimens. The supply seems do be dwindling these days and the vacuum is being filled by specimens from other locations like Berbes, Jaimina and others.
F-178 botryoidal Fluorite $70 Canon City District, Fremont County, Colorado 7 x 6 x 5 cm. Botryoidal Fluorite had been known from this location for years as they are distinctly different. These very unusual and interesting Fluorite specimens were collected in the early 1980's & are seldom seen for sale these days. This knobby specimen has great color and a good lustre.
C-249 Calcite $45 Berry Materials Corp. Quarry, North Vernon, Jennings County, IN 3 x 2.8 x 2.9 cm. The Berry Materials Corp. Quarry has a reputation for producing outstanding Calcite crystals. This translucent and lustrous Calcite crystal sits on a matrix of Limestone. The Calcite has the color a good Cognac or Armagnac. Calcites from this location are eagerly sought after by collectors which is no surprise since the Calcite crystals from this Quarry are considered to be some of the best that America has to offer.
C-268 Calcite RESERVED Yerington District, Singatse Range, Lyon County, NV 5 x 4.1 x 4.4 cm A very three-dimensional specimen of branching Calcite crystals, locally known as Cactus Calcite. The larger central crystals have smaller Calcite sprays branching off at all angles. These specimens were widely available years ago, now are usually only found in old mineral collections.
C-269 Calcite $25 Yerington District, Singatse Range, Lyon County, NV 3.5 x 2.7 x 2 cm A very three-dimensional specimen of branching Calcite crystals, locally known as Cactus Calcite. The larger central crystals have smaller Calcite sprays branching off at all angles. These specimens were widely available years ago, now are usually only found in old mineral collections. C-267 Glendonite (Calcite pseudomorph after Ikaite) $30 Olenitsa River, White Sea Coast, Murmansk Oblast, Russia 4 x 3.3 x 2.1 cm A very interesting pseudomorph of Calcite replacing a group of crystals of the rare the Calcium Carbonate mineral Ikaite. Ikaite dehydrates to Calcite above 8°C. The resulting pseudomorph of Calcite after Ikaite is known as “Glendonite.”
C-244 Calcite
with Hematite $100 Santa Eulalia District, Municipio de Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico 7.5 x 4.6 x 4.7 cm. This is a type of Calcite that came out a long, long time ago from Santa Eulalia and has been unavailable - until a recent find in 2007. These Calcites are instantly recognizable by their strange form: an earlier generation of dark, opaque, hematite-included scalenohedral crystals seeming to emerge from within a later generation of translucent crystals of a lighter color. This specimen is undamaged and is from the original find.
F-094 Fluorite and Celestite $95 Stoneco White Rock Quarry, Clay Center, Ottawa County, OH 8.5 x 6.5 x 3 cm. An extremely lustrous specimen of Fluorite crystals with blades of Celestine. The photo does not even come close to conveying how gorgeous this specimen is. This specimen exhibits a mottled white and gray fluorescence and is also phosphorescent. Specimens of this quality from this location are rarely seen these days.
F-184 Fluorite with Calcite, Quartz and Pyrite $250 El Hamman Mine, Meknès Prefecture, Morocco 15.5 x 14.5 x 4.1 cm. This specimen features many medium to dark-green crystals of Fluorite. This specimen has several interesting features; the first being numerous water-clear Quartz crystals up to 3 mm. in size that cover the entire specimen. The top of the specimen is blanketed with Calcite and there are dozens of brass-colored, ball-like Pyrites covering the specimen. This Fluorite specimen is complete, with no damage. The back of the specimen is flat , but shows many growth hillocks as well as many white, needle-like inclusions. A good example of a combo specimen for this location.
F-239 etched Fluorite $65 Tower Rock Mine, Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County, IL 8.4 x 6.7 x 6.8 cm. A deep-purple-colored example of Illinois' signature mineral, Fluorite. This hefty example of Fluorite has been etched resulting in the specimen having striking stepped-growth faces yet still retaining its lustre. This specimen is complete with no damage. The Tower Rock Mine is one of the more obscure Fluorite localities in the Cave-in-Rock district. The workings here were shallow and the mine was never a big producer.
C-235 Calcite $50 Crystal Springs No. 2 Quarry, Lecanto, Citrus County, FL 7 x 2.5 x 2.2 cm. Here we present a southern United States classic. Florida produces attractive Calcites every now and then. This specimen appears to be a stalactite with an overgrowth of scalenohedral Calcite crystals. A not to often seen example of Calcite from a state that isn't exactly well-known for its mineral specimens.
C-236 Calcite on Boulangerite $50 Herja Mine, Chiuzbaia, Baia Mare, Maramures County, Romania 5 x 4 x 2.3 cm. Here is a neat specimen from the famous Herja Mine. This specimen features several generations of lustrous Calcite on a matrix of ball-like bundles of Boulangerite. The Herja Mine has been producing some of the world's finest well-crystallized specimens for over a century. I think that this specimen is a good example of why this location has such a reputation.
C-232 Calcite & Quartz $45 Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany 4.4 x 4 x 3.4 cm. A very lustrous ball of Calcite which is partially encapsulating a 3 centimeter Quartz crystal. Dating back to the 12th century, Freiberg has been mined for its many treasures. The last mine closed in 1969.
C-219 Calcite pseudomorph after Ikaite (Glendonite) $50 Bol’shaya Balakhnya River, Taimyr Peninsula, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia 3.8 x 4 x 3.1 cm. An interesting pseudomorph of a star burst-like cluster of the rare mineral Ikaite having been replaced by Calcite. This very well formed pseudomorph is better than most of the of these specimens that I've encountered in the past few years.
C-183 Calcite with Hematite $60 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia 9.1 x 8.8 x 4.2 cm. Here we have a cluster of Calcite crystals that have been included with microscopic crystals of Hematite. These inclusions of Hematite, along with its lustre, give this specimen a good contrast of colors. The backside of this specimen is completely infused with brick-red Hematite. Tsumeb Calcites come in a wide range of habits and colors, making them one of the most diverse species from this historic and prolific locality.
C-161 Calcite with Duftite $50 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia 7 x 7 x 2.8 cm. A Tsumeb classic, this plate of well-formed Calcite crystals is sprinkled with the Lead and Copper arsenate mineral Duftite. This specimen is a classic Tsumeb mineral association.
C-158 Calcite with Realgar inclusions $80 Getchell Mine, Adam Peak, Potosi District, Humboldt County, Nevada 14 x 10 x 4.8 cm. Here we present a specimen from a location that is world famous for the realgar specimens that it has produced. This mound of Calcite crystals are included by a myriad of almost microscopic sized crystals of the mineral Realgar. An eye-pleasing specimen from a famous Nevada location.
F-064 Fluorite with Calcite $65 Minerva #1 Mine, Hardin County, IL 9.5 x 7 x 4 cm. A very attractive cluster of bicolored Fluorite crystals with numerous scalenohedral crystals of Calcite, some of which are double terminated. The Fluorite is intact except for a small portion of the lower left rear where it has been contacted. This is also an older specimen that was found in the late 1970's.
F-183 Fluorite $30 Judith Lynn Claim, Grant County, New Mexico 4.4 x 2.9 x 2.6 cm. The octahedral Fluorite crystals from the Judith Lynn Claim have become very scarce over the years. At one time it was not hard to find one for sale, but lately they're just not around anymore. This specimen has a nice purple-red color and has an interesting bumpy, fish-scale-like texture on the crystal faces. These specimens, when you could still get them, were sold as being from Catron County to mislead potential claim-jumpers and poachers.
Q-146 Fluorite with Quartz $65 Weardale, North Pennines, County Durham, England 10 x 9 x 4 cm. This specimen features a pair of yellow and green Fluorite crystals, completely covered by hundreds of tiny Quartz crystals. The dark spots on the side and top of the specimen are due to inclusions of sulfide minerals, accenting the 3-dimensionality of this specimen. This specimen, while relatively shallow in thickness, is not broken, but rather it is contacted on the bottom where it was attached to its matrix. The numerous Fluorite mines in County Durham and the surrounding areas have long been renowned for their prolific production of minerals during the last several centuries.
|
|
||||||||
|
|
© 2003 - 2019 Cal Neva Mineral Company Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing |
|
|||||||
,%20Olenitsa%20River,%20White%20Sea%20Coast,%20Murmansk%20Oblast,%20Russia.png)
,%20Olenitsa%20River,%20White%20Sea%20Coast,%20Murmansk%20Oblast,%20Russia.png)
