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.
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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.
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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.
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YaoGangXian, YiZhang, Hunan, China.
Dramatic piece! Two divergent quartz crystals, the longest 60mm, support a neat arsenopyrite crystal some 20mm x 15mm.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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