Barite - unusual locality
stock #24.1-192
Tses Baryte Prospect, Brukkaros Complex, Berseba Townlands Farm 426, Ber
Il Karas Region,
Namibia
2.7 x .8 x .6 CM (thumbnail)
price: $140
Single crystal of Barite (Baryte) from an unusual locality the Tses Propect in the Il Karas of Namibia. This shows a distinct golden to orange color transition. Nice thumbnail that is in fine condition and perfectly terminated. This seems to have been a one time find. these are more or less impossible to find except from older collections.
Small but pretty miniature from Tsumeb of course. The Smithsonite is well-crystalized with gemmy dark pink color that is almost purple. Scattered in this are gemmy butterscotch yellow-orange Wulfenites that are also gemmy. The matrix is a nice contrast and the whole is in excellent condition. Many pink Smithsonites are mistakenly called Cobaltoan when often the color is actually from Manganese, Iron or another source. We are fairly sure this is indeed Cobaltoan Smithsonite based on the paragenesis and match to another well-tested sample. No matter the chromophore here the specimen is richly colorful, attractive and a very nice association that is not crazy expensive for one of these.
Striking, colorful and complex specimen with well-defined Wulfenite crystals that are partly to fully overgrown with bright green secondary copper minerals. In fine condition as seen, the largest Wulfenites are over 1.5 CM with a butterscotch orange color. Tsumeb is famed for its great specimens with diverse species, habits, colors and chemistries. The results are sometimes especially attractive like this. The associations here are especially impressive.
Fluorite - 2 intergrown spinel twins
stock #23.1-222
Hohenstein Massif, Omaruru District
Erongo Region,
Namibia
4.6 x 3.3 x 2.1 CM (miniature)
price: $1950
Pre Tucson
A most unusual intersection of two complete spinel habit twins of Fluorite. In outstanding condition, the crystals are all translucent and mostly transparent. Aside from a few tiny bits of Muscovite there is nothing other than Fluorite here, no matrix. The color is zoned with a light purple predominating but the outer edges are a deep purple and the core has some yellow to orange lines. This area of the Erongos has been the source of several great Fluorite finds. Each find has been somewhat unique and many habits were never seen again as in the famed Alien Eyes of 2007. This is from an incredible 2021-2 find of very distinctive spinel twins. Great in person and in a display with backlighting this is amazing.
Bright pink Smithsonite crystals are nicely protected in a vug on the matrix. From Tsumeb, this intense color had always been labeled as Cobaltoan Smithsonite but recent studies show that not all pink from Tsumeb has Cobalt, so without an analysis we simply call this pink. In excellent condition inside the vug, the only minor bruises are at the outer edges. For a Smithsonite color suite this is a nice addition with rich deep color that is not the typical pale pink of Tsumeb.
SOLD Fluorite - spinel twins
stock #SOLD 23.1-224
Hohenstein Massif, Omaruru District
Erongo Region,
Namibia
2.8 x 1.4 x 1.2 CM (thumbnail)
price: $0
Pre Tucson
Killer thumbnail of multi color Fluorite in a flat and elongated spinel twin form. From the 2021 pocket on Hohenstein (Erongo, Namibia) which had a very special and unique look to many crystals, this is a perfect, complete and choice small wonder. The internal color play is very impressive in person, purple, green lighter violet and yellow to orange colors are zoned. The yellow-orange is a concentrated in a faden-like line that runs the length of the crystal. It is almost impossible to describe the crystal complexity, some faces are glass clear, these alternate with some frosted or etched faces. Looks fine from almost any angle and with backlight glows very well. We were able to select our specimens very early from the pocket contents and all were chosen with care for best quality, esthetics and interest. A few tiny crystals are scattered on one edge and are also spinel twins. This find is among the most important of the past few decades of Erongo Fluorite, the habit and quality are unlike anything else.
A serious specimen of Carminite from Tsumeb. This has a super rich zone of free standing Carminite crystals easily seen by naked eye. These show the bright scarlet color that is so distinctive and contrast well. The Carminites are mixed with lustrous Beudantite crystals that look almost black by naked eye but with strong lighting or good magnification they show very well their color. There are three older labels in addition to ours with this specimen; only one (Pequa rare minerals) indicates the source. This is an old piece from prior to 1965 but it is not clear how much older this is. Though the Carminites here are quite visible by naked eye (which is not common) they are amazing under a microscope.
A complex and unusual Tsumeb specimen from the important collection of Cors De Bruin who was employed at Tsumeb starting in 1947. His label gives us the rare detail of locality (30 Level) and has his observation "real mixed-up thing!". The matrix is a heavy mass of Copper/Cuprite that is host to several vugs and zones packed with small crystals and botryoidal masses. The Wulfenites here are mostly the bipyramidal habit. This small specimen is loaded with Copper, Zinc and Lead minerals, the kind of mixing that really only is seen at Tsumeb and one of the reasons it is so revered by collectors.
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