FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Tobi]

James, thank you. I'm glad you like it.

Andreas, thanks also. You know much more than i about little-known German localities, so i must confess that i don't know how these opaque scalenohedrons look ...

[Tobi]

Here's the "smaller brother" of the sceptered amethyst from Brandberg/Namibia, that i posted some days ago. This tiny one measures 40 x 35 x 20 mm.

[Tobi]

Inspired by the wonderful quartz pictures of José Miguel, here's a picture of a specimen from Jinkouhe/Sichuan/China, using back light. The three main crystals have lenghts of 70-80 mm.

[Carles Millan]

[Tobi]

Another specimen from China: Water-clear crystals of quartz on hematite, from Jinlong/Guangdong Province. The longest crystals have a lenght of 70 mm, overall size of the specimen is 100 x 90 x 55 mm.

[Carles Millan]

[Tobi]

I'm glad you like it, Carles, i really appreciate your opinion very much!

But you can't say that this one is "better" than yours ( https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/files/8570m_quartz_173.jpg ), for i don't think they are that easy to compare. My new specimen may be a good sample for water-clear quartz from Jinlong Hill without any coating, while your specimen is a very good example for the typical hematite-coated crystals from that locality. I would say: Two good examples for two different forms of quartz appearance from Jinlong Hill.

[José Miguel]

Hi Tobias. The quartz from Jinkouhe/Hunan/China looks very well, with its slender and clear crystals!!

[Tobi]

Hi José, i'm glad you like the quartz specimen. I will try to make some further pictures from other angles in the next days. But first, a correction: I made a mistake in the locality description of the specimen and you copied it unwittingly - Jinkouhe is not located in Hunan province, but in Sichuan province! Sorry for the mistake, maybe one of the admins can correct it.

Cheers!

[Carles Millan]

[Luiz Menezes]

Hi Tobias:

The cluster of clear quartz crystals is a great one, very aesthetic.

Luiz

[Tobi]

If so many of you like that specimen*, here - as promised - some more shots of it.
________
* Quartz cluster from Jinkouhe, Ebian Co., Leshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Height 90 mm.

[Carles Millan]

[Pete Richards]

[Tobi]

Pete, thanks for your interest and effort. The only problem concerning a further investigation of the specimen: It was recently acquired by Andreas Gerstenberg from Berlin (for he is more interested in rare German localities than i), so the photo i posted in this thread is the only thing that i have left of that calcite. But Andreas is also a member of FMF, so maybe he reads this or you can contact him via this forum.

Carles, thanks for commenting my photos. Indeed it is very tricky to take photos of such clear crystals - except for José Miguel, who does it as if it was the easiest thing to do :-) But according to your own photographing skills i don't think you're unable to do so. You usually make really good mineral photos, so you won't fail with such specimens if you try it out.

Here are some additional photos of the other clear Chinese quartz specimen that was already posted above (Quartz on hematite, Jinlong hill, Longchuan, Heyuan, Guangdong, China. 100 x 90 x 55 mm).

[Carles Millan]

[Tobi]

Taking photos of minerals is tricky in general, not only when handling clear crystals. But the latter can really be frustrating ;-)

Here's another specimen from my collection: Garnet var. Hessonite from Kunar Valley, Nuristan, Afghanistan. Overall size 120 x 90 x 50 mm, the largest crystals are slightly smaller than 20 mm.

[José Miguel]

Tobias, very nice again the second pic of the cluster of Jinkouhe.
To take photos to the transparency is... not only tricky, it is impossible!
We take a photo to the background, not to the crystal. The crystal appears because of the obstacles, because of the opacity of the crystal. It neccessary to choose very well this background and these obstacles, and, of course, the light!.

[Tobi]

This specimen is from a classic German locality which is famous to all calcite collectors: Holzen quarry near Arnsberg, Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The specimen features several water-clear calcite crystals up to 25 mm on a large rock coated by dolomite. A vug on the specimen features the largest calcite crystal which is grown as an interesting kind of twin i've not seen before. The specimen measures 170 x 130 x 100 mm.

[Tobi]

Some closer photos of the clear calcite crystals on dolomite (largest calcites have a size of 15 mm).