Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan.
Limestone matrix 6cm x 4.5cm x 3.5cm has veinlets of lazurite and a single well-formed crystal of the same mineral 20mm long but taking the form of an afghanite crystal.
£75 $135
Tomokoni Mine, Potosi District, Bolivia.
Limonitic matrix hosts part of a large crystal of vivianite 40mm long, lustrous, dark green.
£40 $70
Dalnegorsk. Primorsky Krai, Russia.
Triangular matrix some 9cm x 7cm is covered with small quartz crystals, somewhat larger calcite crystals and several tetrahedra of sphalerite, the largest 25mm on edge.
£50 $90
Goboboseb Berge, Omaruru, Namibia.
Two aligned doubly terminated crystals of pale but gemmy amethyst.
Total length 11 cm.
Sold
Herkimer Co., New York State, U.S.A.
Two crystals, the largest 40mm x 35mm, gemmy, sharp: a real natural jewel of a specimen.
£90 $165
Aldeia do Eme, Coselhiero Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Large books of muscovite erupt from a matrix of albite: a very shapely specimen indeed! Overall the piece is 9cm x 6cm x 6cm, with books of mica to 30mm across and the large crystal of albite 38mm on edge.
£35 $65
Mapimi, Durango, Mexico.
Heavy black matrix 6cm x 5cm x 4cm has a cavity with some botryoidal goethite and abundant adamite crystals to 15mm but here an amethystine purple rather than the usual green colour.
Sold
YaoGangXian, YiZhang, Hunan, China.
Dramatic piece! Two divergent quartz crystals, the longest 60mm, support a neat arsenopyrite crystal some 20mm x 15mm.
Sold
Huaron Mine, San Jose de Huallay, Pasco, Peru.
Small plate of sphalerite + quartz 5cm x 4cm sets off nicely some tetrahedral chalcopyrite crystals to about 10mm.
£38 $70
Bendouku, Soroma, Sangare, Mali..
Superb group of almost black epidote crystals with individuals to 30mm tastefully augmented by some pale gree spherical aggregates of prehnite. Overall 4cm x 4cmx 3.5cm: a perfect miniature.
£70 $125
Lavra da Piedanera, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Two fine inclined crystals the largest 43mm long. Gemmy green with black terminations.
Sold
Dodo, Polar Urals, Russia.
Doubly terminated gemmy smoky quartz crystal 6.5cm long hosts a partial coat of tiny chlorite crystals and a fine anatase crystal about 10mm long.
£50 $90
2nd Soviet Mine, Dalnegorsk, Russia
Group of pale pink nail-heads (mainly one individual 30mm long x 35mm "diameter") sits on top of a knob of crystalline sphalerite, the whole specimen being about 6cm tall.
£85 $150
Tsumeb, Namibia
Two large bladed crystals 25mm long x 20mm across span what has been a small cavity within an ore vein. With other smaller azurite crystals and a little malachite.
£85 $150
Xiang Hau Lin, Hunan, China
Virtually matrix-free group of flawless pale green, gemmy, cubic crystals 7cm x 6cm x 4½cm with individuals to 30mm on edge. A very attractive and dramatic piece.
£95 $170
Chenzhou, Hunan, China
Limonitic sliver of matrix some 4+cm long is covered with tiny calcite crystals in the form of blunt scalenohedra and culminates in a large twin. The slight orange colour is due to a small amount of included iron.
£40 $70
Argentina
Knob of banded rhodochrosite polished on all surfaces to display the contrasting structures. Overall 6cm x 5cm x 3cm.
Sold
Cavnik, Maramures, Romania
Very dramatic group of bladed barite crystals 9cm x8cm x 6cm, the yellow colour being due to amorphous orpiment partly on and partly in the crystals. A classic from this region.
£65 $120
Altyn Tjube, Kazakhstan.
Sliver of matrix 7cm x 5cm supports a rather eroded calcite crystal and a healthy crop of dioptase crystals with individuals to around 7mm long.
Sold
Nchwaning II, Kuruman, Republic of South Africa.
Superb aggregate of dark pink translucent crystals 20mm across sitting on the corner of a slab of matrix (sawn base).
£65 $120