FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Joseph DOliveira]

Beautiful specimen of Helvite, one of the best I've seen.

[GneissWare]

Thanks. I had been looking for a good Quartz/Scheelite combo and found it in my favorite Chinese dealer's room. The helvite came out at the end of last year and is one of the biggest ones my source has ever seen.

[GneissWare]

Prior to this Tucson, I had only one Colorado Amazonite in my personal collection. My Master's thesis was done on an Amazonite-bearing granite in California, and I have always like them, so this year I decided to get a couple....

[Pierre Joubert]

You have good taste Bob. Thank you for showing us your treasures.

[Joseph DOliveira]

It is often argued that the Lake George Amazonite generally has better colour than the Amazonite from Florissant. I would think that the two specimens above would challenge that argument, two very beautiful Amazonite specimens.

[Tobi]

Wonderful amazonites, especially that 14 cm killer specimen!!!

Tobi

[GneissWare]

A few quartz specimens...

[GneissWare]

A few from Inner Mongolia -- including a rare Pyrite.

[Don Lum]

Bob, I like your pyrite on calcite. Both beautiful and interesting.

Don

[GneissWare]

Thanks Don.

[GneissWare]

Japan...

[GneissWare]

Several lustrous green Elbaites with pink cores are perched on translucent blades of Albite (v. Cleavlandite). These classic "watermelon" tourmalines measure to 31 x 12 x 11 mm in size. All the terminations are textures with many small dimples. In near perfect condition with only one clean repair, this is a really showy specimen from the Pederneira claim. It is likely from the 1970s, and is ex. Dan Velasco collection.

[Enrique Llorens]

Good minerals, and great aesthetic taste.

Congratulations.

Enrique Llorens.

[Don Lum]

Beautiful elbaite specimen, Bob.

Don

[GneissWare]

Thanks! Unlike most of my tourmalines, I was able to photograph it ok.

[GneissWare]

A lustrous, striated, rich pine-green Elbaite measuring 53 x 28 x 22 mm is perched on flattened, translucent Quartz crystals to 65 x 53 x 35 mm. The termination is perfect. It is an extremely beautiful and attractive specimen circa 1970s from the Dan Velasco collection.

[GneissWare]

A large, gemmy, clear Calcite measuring 66 x 56 x 29 mm is perched on a matrix covered with smaller colorless to pink Calcite crystals and native Copper. Thin blades of Copper to 25 mm lie on the matrix and some are partly included in the large Calcite. ex. Dr. David Roter collection.

[GneissWare]

This cabinet plate features Titanite (Sphene) crystals with Adularia and needles of Tourmalines. The green Titanite crystals to 8 mm, and are all terminated and glassy. The Adularia crystals are also quite glassy and many are also doubly terminated. A fine Chlorite dusting accents the specimen and the Tourmaline needles are included within many of the Sphenes. This is ex. Keith Proctor, Marvin Rausch Mineral Collections.

[GneissWare]

An exceptionally good Chinese Ferberite with bladed crystals to 72 x 55 x 6 mm all perched on clear to translucent white Quartz points to 55 x 15 mm. What makes this specimen unique is that it comes from a locality which produced relatively few fine specimens, namely the Piaotang Mine. It is in perfect condition and is ex. Dr. David Roter collection.

[Carles Millan]