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Gallery 8 Psuedomorphs & Mineral OdditiesReturn to Mineral Specimen Galleries
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Q-518 Quartz pseudomorph after Andradite $85 Garnet Hill Mine, Garnet Hill, Calaveras County, CA 7.3 x 7 x 3 cm Here we have an excellent example of one of the more uncommon pseudomorphs; a large single crystal of Andradite that has been almost totally replaced by Quartz. The Quartz crystals are mostly clear and terminated. The small amount of Epidote on this specimen adds a little contrasting color. Garnet Hill has long been known as a source of fine Garnet and Epidote crystals.
T-342 Topaz pseudomorph after Augelite with Quartz $50 Mundo Nuevo Mine, Mundo Nuevo, Huamachuco, Sanchez Carrion Province, La Libertad, Peru 3.1 x 2.7 x 2 cm A highly unusual cast pseudomorph from a small pocket found around 2012. This is a cast of sparkly transparent Topaz crystals that formed over a large Augelite. This specimen is complete except for one quartz crystal whose termination is absent. It amazes me that such fragile hollow casts can survive the mining after having been in the earth for millions of years.
Q-514 Quartz pseudomorph after Lepidolite $35 Morro Redondo Mine, Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil 3.6 x 3.2 x 1.9 cm Here we have a hexagonal crystal of Lepidolite that has been replaced by, of all things, Quartz. This an example of one of more uncommon pseudomorphs that can be found in the pegmatites of Brazil.
Q-515 Quartz pseudomorph after Lepidolite $50 Morro Redondo Mine, Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil 4.5 x 4.2 x 3.4 cm Here we have a stout, hexagonal crystal of Lepidolite that has been replaced by, of all things, Quartz. This an example of one of more uncommon pseudomorphs that can be found in the pegmatites of Brazil.
Q-520 Quartz (modified by lightning) $45 Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil 10.9 x 3.5 x 2.6 cm A very gemmy Quartz crystal that, inside the rock where it was formed, was submitted to a high electrical voltage created by lightning hitting the rock (not the Quartz crystal). Due to its piezoelectrical properties, the Quartz crystal submitted to this high voltage will expand or contract (depending on the signal of the electrical field, positive or negative). The result is a weird crack pattern that develops on the crystals faces of the Quartz. For many years, crystal miners in the Serra de Espinhaco Mountains of Brazil, where there are frequent thunderstorms, have reported finding these oddities. But only in the last 8-10 years have any, in limited quantities been available to collectors. The Espinhaco Mountains are constantly affected by orographic thunderstorms, which generate a high number of lightning bolts. These orographic flashes have some special properties: they reach speeds of up to 160,000 m / s and thereby generate plasma temperatures of 30,000 ° C in nanoseconds. There is a paper about these type of crystals that was published by Prof. Joachim Karfunkel et. al., from University of Minas Gerais, who found the explanation for these weird crack patterns. You can read about it (in German) here: Link to article
G-157 Andradite pseudomorph after Quartz $40 Stanley Butte, Santa Teresa Mountains, Graham County, Arizona 3.2 x .7 x .5 cm Here we have an example of one of the more unusual pseudomorphs that I have encountered over the years. This specimen consists of a Quartz crystal that has been replaced by light-green-colored Andradite Garnet.
K-007 Cassiterite
in Kaolinite pseudomorph after Orthoclase $65 St Austell Mining District, Cornwall, England, UK 6.4 x 3.4 x 1.4 cm An excellent double-terminated & tabular, Carlsbad-twinned Orthoclase crystal that has been pseudomorphed by Kaolinite. Embedded in this specimen numerous crystals of the tin oxide mineral, Cassiterite. Kaolinite pseudomorphs after Orthoclase from Cornwall are not particularly rare but those that are included by Cassiterite are few and far between and are highly prized.
H-079 Hydroxylapatite pseudomorph after Hemimorphite $50 Astillero Mine, Mapimí, Municipio de Mapimí, Durango, Mexico 4.1 x 3.3 x 2.3 cm Hydroxylapatite pseudomorphs after tabular hemimorphite blades are rare from this very obscure Mapimí area mine, near the famed Ojuela Mine. A sculptural dense cluster of bladed brown and tan-colored pseudomorphs is accented with a tan botryoid of Apatite. The large pseudomorph blade is 1.7 cm and the Apatite botryoid is 4 mm. A fascinating and rare pseudomorph combination. This material was mined in the 1960s.
Q-451 Chalcedony pseudomorph after Anhydrite $100 Agua Fria River, New River Station Area, Yavapai County, AZ 4.5 x 4.3 x 2.6 cm These dramatic Chalcedony pseudomorphs after Anhydrite were collected over a period of 10 years by my friend, Al Rose. This material has the distinction of being mentioned not once but twice in The Mineralogical Record's what's new in minerals. Not many of these were found and are much sought after by collectors of Arizona minerals as well as by pseudomorph collectors.
Q-439 Quartz on Hematite pseudomorph after Epidote $60 Bessemer Ridge, Green Mountain, King County, WA 6.6 x 2 x 1.7 cm. The pseudomorph specimens from this location have always been one of my favorites. They consist of an Epidote crystal that has been entirely replaced with Hematite faithfully retaining its original form. A later generation of Quartz crystals then grew on the faces of the pseudomorph. You almost never see these Quartz covered pseudomorphs offered for sale anymore.
T-326 Topaz pseudomorph after Orthoclase $95 Saubachriss, Muldenberg, Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany 6 x 4.8 x 3.9 cm Here we have an example of one of the more elusive pseudomorphs from Europe. A twinned Orthoclase crystal measuring 4.8 centimeters in length, that has been completely replaced by Topaz. While is a small imperfection on one corner, this specimen is still considered an really good example of this material. Examples of this material are getting quite difficult to find these days.
Q-447 Quartz pseudomorph after Orthoclase $95 Erongo Mountain, Karibib, Erongo Region, Namibia 6.7 x 6.9 x 5.8 cm. Being someone who has an appreciation for any mineral specimen that is out of the ordinary, I fell in love with these when I first saw them. A majority of the combinations of mineral species that can be found in Erongo are quite abundant, it seems to me that Pseudomorphs are under represented at this famous location. These never were very abundant and probably won't be in the future. This specimen is a complete and total replacement of five Orthoclase crystals by tiny Quartz crystals with a green cast and some crystals of Smoky Quartz, one much, much bigger than the others. This specimen lived in my collection until recently when I decided that I didn't need as many of these as I had accumulated.
T-308 Schorl with Beryl inclusion $60 Dara-i-Pech Pegmatite Field, Chapa Dara District, Konar Province, Afghanistan 2.8 x 2.4 x 2.5 cm. Just when you think that you've seen it all from Afghanistan, there's this specimen A lustrous crystal of Schorl that is include by a clear, colorless Beryl crystal. The Beryl continues down the length of the specimen with a small portion protruding from the Schorl's bottom. Another neat feature of this specimen are the pronounced and well-formed growth hillocks on its beveled termination. I have sold a good amount of material from Afghanistan over the last 27 years and I have only seen one other specimen like this.
Q-485 Quartz & Hematite cast after Calcite & Barite $95 Wölsendorf Fluorite Mining District, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany 9.3 x 7.7 x 7.2 cm While not that common, every now and then you will see one of these Quartz after Calcite casts offered for sale. This specimen shows the scalenohedral form of the Calcite crystal that it has replaced as well as the form of the blade-like Barite crystals. The Quartz crystals on this specimen are included by Hematite which makes for a nice contrast of colors.
Q-443 Amethyst cast after Calcite $95 Artigas, Artigas Department, Uruguay 7.5 x 4.1 x 3.5 cm. Here we have a complete all-around Amethyst cast after Calcite. This specimen consists of a tower of numerous medium-purple Amethyst crystals. If you look up the bottom of the specimen you will see the sharp, pseudohexagonal form of the dissolved Calcite crystal. The Calcite was completely etched away by corrosive solutions in the pocket, leaving the Amethyst. These specimens are one of nature's better looking mineral oddities.
C-278 Colemanite pseudomorph after Inyoite $75 Boron, Kramer District, Kern County, CA 12.8 x 9.4 x 6.8 cm A dramatically formed pseudomorph of Colemanite after a very large Inyoite crystal from Boron, California. This pseudomorph is shaped like a big, 3-dimensional "checkmark", when viewed at the proper angle and proudly rests on a clayey matrix. The pseudomorph and matrix surface are uniformly covered with lustrous, white, 3-4 mm, colemanite crystals. Although contacted in several areas, this is an important example of this material. This is rare material. I have only seen perhaps 5-6 examples of these pseudomorphs in over 30 years of collecting.
Q-477 interference Quartz $45 Bor Pit, Dal'negorsk B Deposit, Dalnegorsk, Primorsky Krai, Russia 7.6 x 2.4 x 2 cm An unusually-shaped, translucent, colorless Quartz crystal known as “interference”Quartz from the famous Bor Pit at Dalnegorsk, Russia. These crystals are unique to the Bor Quarry. The Quartz crystal growth was interrupted by Calcite, as evidenced by stacked, poker chip-looking section in the middle of the crystal. This unique piece is complete all-around, with only slight contacting on the bottom termination.
AD-180 Chalcedony pseudomorph after Barite $40 The Poison Strip, Thompsons District, Grand County, UT 4.8 x 3.4 x 3.6 cm A striking nodule of yellow & red Chalcedony that has replaced the mineral, Barite. Specimens from this location are usually not as well-formed as the one before you. Hard to come by material.
P-080 Pyrite pseudomorph after Pyrrhotite with Boulangerite $45 Noche Buena Mine, Municipio de Mazapil, Zacatecas, Mexico 7 x 5 x 3.1 cm. These specimens are striking in person, and this piece is no exception. This specimen features foliated, semi-"rose"-esque Pyrrhotites that have been replaced by shimmering metallic golden-colored Pyrite. Topping things off is a layer of fibrous Boulangerite crystals.
F-237 Fluorite & Barite $200 Moffat Tunnel, Cripple Creek District, Teller County, Colorado 6.6 x 4.5 x 2.3 cm. This specimen is from a small find made a few years back. This specimen consists of lustrous, lilac-purple Fluorite cubes covering intersecting sprays of flattened, elongated, white Barite. The Barite is thought to be epimorphs after Laumontite. The contrasting colors make for a very aesthetic specimen. The perceived color of these Fluorites varies depending on the color temperature of the lighting that it is viewed under. This find was documented on Season 4, Episode 4 of the television show, Prospectors.
L-035 Lepidolite pseudomorph after Tourmaline $50 Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil 6 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm. A very lustrous specimen of Lepidolite replacing Tourmaline. Traces of green-colored Tourmaline can be seen on closer examination. This specimens is an “old timer” that was found in the 1970's.
H-073 Hematite pseudomorph after Siderite on Microcline $50 Lake George, Park County, CO 4 x 3.9 x 2.6 cm. This magnificent, as far as pseudomorphs are concerned, mineral specimen was found around 15 years ago by friends of mine from southern California while on vacation in Colorado. Being a collector of pseudomorphs myself, I am greatly impressed by the faithful replacement of the Siderite by the Hematite. Most pseudomorphs do not retain such an exact form of the mineral species that they have replaced. The Hematite pseudomorphs are perched on a crystal of Microcline making for a nice contrast of colors.
A-119 Aragonite stalactite section $30 Wheeler Peak, White Pine County, NV 7 x 5.8 x 5.5 cm Here we have a polished section of an Aragonite stalactite from a remote location from the easternmost part of central Nevada.
C-135 Calcite peudomorph after Barite $25 Taouz, Er Rachidia Province, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco 5.6 x 3.1 x 3.5 cm. Here we are offering a really neat specimen; a stalactite-like stack of interpenetrating crystals of Calcite as large as 2.2 cm. that have replaced the mineral Barite. The contrast between the sand color and the orange-red portions of this mineral specimen make for interesting specimen.
L-038 Lepidolite, Quartz & Cookeite pseudomorph after Elbaite Tourmaline $120 Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil 14.2 x 6.1 x 4.6 cm A magnificent example of the replacement of one mineral species by another. This specimen features an Elbaite Tourmaline that has mostly been replaced by Lepidolite with just a few small areas of green where the Tourmaline was not replaced set in a vug of cookeite that encased the original Tourmaline. Also present in the cookeite “shell” are well-formed crystals of Quartz.
M-062 Malachite pseudomorph after Azurite $35 Morenci, Copper Mountain District, Greenlee County, AZ 2.7 x 1.7 x 1.5 cm A classic Morenci Malachite pseudomorph after Azurite. This well-formed pseudomorph is a deep green color and is covered by a jacket of lighter colored Malachite.
G-097 Goethite pseudomorph after Siderite $40 Gourrama, Errachidia Province, Meknès-Tafilalet, Morocco 7.5 x 5 x 3.5 cm. This lustrous and very well-formed pseudomorph specimen features crystals measuring up to 2.5 cm. I have seen a lot of Moroccan minerals over the years, but have only encountered several of these pieces. Pseudomorphs usually tend to be at least a little bit crude looking. This is not the case for this specimen, as it faithfully retains the the shape of the of the Siderite crystals that have been replaced by the mineral, Goethite. This is a very attractive mineral specimen despite it being a pseudomorph and black in color.
P-029 Pyrite pseudomorph after Pyrrhotite with Calcite $40 Noche Buena Mine, Zacatecas, Mexico 7 x 5.5 x 6 cm. Here we have a classic mineral specimen from a long defunct location. This mound of Pyrrhotite crystals has been replaced by Pyrite, after which a second generation of cubic Pyrite and Calcite crystals formed on top of that. Specimens from this location are not often seen these days.
H-089 Hematite pseudomorph after Magnetite SOLD Payún
Volcano, Altiplano de Payún Matru 6.3 x 5.4 x 3.1 cm A well-formed, 3-dimensional example of Magnetite that has been replaced by Hematite. The elongated crystals are coated by a second generation of micro Hematite crystals which make the specimen sparkle. These artistic pieces are of volcanic fumarole origin and are found at a locality in a National Park near Patagonia.
T-290 Tourmaline cast after Spodumene on Quartz SOLD Mawi Pegmatite, Nilaw-Kolum, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan 6.5 x 7 x 4.3 cm. Here we present a differnt type of mineral specimen from Afghanistan for a change. Resting against a cluster of clear Quartz crystals are the remains of 2 Spodumene crystals. The Spodumene has been replaced by a myriad of needle-like, green crystals of Elbaite Tourmaline. This specimen is quite attractive and would brighten up any mineral cabinet.
Q-444 Chalcedony pseudomorph after Aragonite SOLD Valle de las Plumas, Paso de Indios Department, Chubut, Argentina 7 x 5.2 x 4.3 cm. This stellate cluster of Aragonite crystals have been pseudomorphed by Quartz, included by Hematite which gives it its reddish tone. So what you have is Quartz in the exact form of the prior Aragonite crystals, having preserved their form perfectly. There is some translucence at the terminations of the crystals. Once abundant, I don't see these for sale too often these days.
G-126 Gonnardite replacing Haüyne SOLD Sar-e-Sang River, Sar-e Sang, Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan 6.7 x 5.3 x 3.5 cm. This specimen will play tricks on your eyes; depending on the light source it will look blue, blue-green or almost green-colored. The white patches are where the blue-colored Haüyne crystals have been replaced by the zeolite mineral, Gonnardite. Some of the crystals on this specimen are well-formed and some of them seem to have been almost totally dissolved. When these specimens first came out they were sold as Lazurite replacing Plagioclase. Closer examination and much testing has proven the blue & blue-green mineral to be Haüyne. To be real Lazurite, it must be sulfide dominant and none have ever been found to be, so all "Lazurite" is Haüyne.
C-247 Chrysocolla & Malachite pseudomorph after Azurite SOLD Lupoto Mine, Kakumba, Kipushi, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.7 x 6.3 x 5.4 cm. Here we have a striking and colorful specimen of needle-like groups of medium-blue Chrysocolla which has overgrown pseudomorphs of Malachite after Azurite on a gossan matrix. I think these fairly new specimens from Lupoto are quite attractive based upon not only their fantastic color, but the fact that there are at least three generations of mineralization here. Initially the piece consisted of prismatic Azurite crystals, which were replaced by Malachite, and then a final generation of Chrysocolla came over the top. The largest individual pseudomorph measures 3centimeters. They are also pretty cool-looking due to the numerous spikes of Chrysocolla that protrude from the specimen like so many cactus needles.
Q-468 Quartz var. Eisenkiesel on Fluorite var. Stink-Fluss SOLD Johannesschacht
Mine, Schwarzach bei Nabburg, Wölsendorf East District 6.6 x 5.4 x 6.1 cm Here we have an example of iron-included Quartz, known in German as “Eisenkiesel”. The Quartz crystals sit on a matrix of coarsely-crystalized Fluorite, variety “Stink-Fluss”. Stink-Fluss is a variety of Fluorite, especially from Wölsendorf, Germany, that emits an odor and ozone upon grinding due to the internal presence of free fluorine and calcium and the interaction of those components with water upon grinding. Despite its name it won't stink up your mineral cabinet. An unusual pair of mineral oddities. Several of the quartz points show a little wear but do not detract from the specimen's appearance.
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