FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Leon56]

PYRITE, GALENA

Pyrite is one of the most common sulphide minerals. This mineral is indispensable in each collection.
It is produced in a very broad range of temperature and pressure. Especially significant is the occurrence of hydrothermal phase when it is together with galena, sphalerite and quartz. It often occurs in the sediment for which formation a reductive environment is necessary.
It consists of iron pyrite (46.55 %) and sulphur (53.45 %). It usually does not have other admixtures, which is especially important when it is used as feedstock for the production of sulphur or sulphuric acid.


Pyrite 1
Source: Unknown source
Size: 4,5 x 4 x 4 cm

Pyrite 2
Source: Rio Mine (Rio Marina Mine), Rio Marina, Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy
Size: 5 x 4 x 4 cm

Pyrite 3
Source: 9th September Mine, Madan, Bulgaria
Size: 7.5 x 4.5 x 3.1 cm

Calcite on quartz and pyrite
Source: Trepča, Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo
Size: 9 x 6.5 x 4.2 cm

Galena
Source: Gidiursko Mine, Madan, Bulgaria
Size: 5 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm

[Antonio Alcaide]

Hi Leon,

Ambasaguas is a well known locality here in Spain. We have doubts about the pyrite nº 1 that you have posted. It does not look like a pyrite from that locality. Could you provide another picture of it, so we can help you with a correct identification?

Thanks in advance.

Regards

[Leon56]

Hello Antonio

This mineral was bought in Greece (Patmos island) in the market place where I was told that it originated from Spain. I did not receive any original documentation about this mineral. Maybe it really is from Greece?

I am very happy about your remark and advice.

Many thanks
Leon56

PS
I kindly ask the moderator, to change the data source by the mineral nr. 1 to "Unknown source".

[Carles Millan]

[Antonio Alcaide]

Thanks, Leon56, for your understanding.

Well, it is very difficult to know the exact locality for an unknown pyrite because it is a very common species as you know perfectly.

In this case, taking into account the matrix of massive pyrite, my educated guess is that it could come from Elba too. I have a very similar sample. But there are many other possibilities.

Regards

[Jordi Fabre]

[Leon56]

As far as pyrite is concerned, I would like to add a more rarely seen specimen of Fluorite and Pyrite from China.

Yaogangxian mine - Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field - Yizhang Co. - Chenzhou pref. - Hunan prov. - China

Specimen weight:77 gr.
Crystal size:mm. 15 x 7
Overall size: 70mm x 32 mm x 26 mm

[Leon56]

Gypsum var. Selenite

Debar city, Mine Radika Knauf, Macedonia
Debar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania.
Large cabinet, length 7 cm x hight 23 cm x width 3,5 cm


I would like to present the Selenite crystal from the year 2003, which has now a new look as it is stored under cover from acrylic glass which was my exquisite idea. Hope you like it.

Photo: Leon 56

[Leon56]

GARNET GROUP

The Garnet group represents one of the favorites in my collection of minerals. This big group is divided to two main groups which are:

Pyralspite garnets – aluminium in Y site
- Almandine: Fe3Al2(SiO4)3
- Pyrope: Mg3Al2(SiO4)3
- Spessartine: Mn3Al2(SiO4)3

Ugrandite group – calcium in X site
- Andradite: Ca3Fe2(SiO4)3
- variety Topazolite
-- variety Demantoid
-- variety Melanite
- Grossular: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
- variety Hessonite
- variety Tsavorite
- Uvarovite: Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3

Individual specimens may be very expensive, however the entire group is magnificent according to visual appearance. The most prominent in my opinion are demantoide, spessartine, grossular and hessonite while the beautiful crystals of tsavorite are the most expensive (in Africa found tsavorite, weighing 325.14 carats was evaluated well over two million dollars).

The pictures are presented in sequential order according to the text above.

[Leon56]

Epidote with Adularia

Alchuri, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Size: 6.8 x 5.0 x 4.0 cm.


Visually very beautiful mineral. Colorless translucent crystals of adularia to 2.0 cm (front picture) are scattered over a "matrix" of green lustrous translucent epidote crystals.

[Leon56]

HERKIMER DIAMOND Crystal Cluster-NY

Intriguing HERKIMER DIAMOND CLUSTER from the ACE OF DIAMONDS MINE in MIDDLEVILLE, NEW YORK.

Size: 10cm x 6,5cm x 4cm

This is not thrue diamond, this is a quartz. Herkimer Diamonds are beautiful double-terminated quartz crystals which are found mainly in Herkimer County, New York.

[Leon56]

ROSASITE
Copper Zinc Carbonate Hydroxide

Locality: Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mun. de Mapimí, Durango, Mexico

Size: 4cm x 3,5 cm x 5 cm

[Leon56]

Rutile & Hematite
Location: Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
Size: Thumbnail 2.7 cm x 2.6 cm x 0.7 cm

Specimen of golden Rutile (Titanium Oxide) crystals on shiny silver Hematite (Iron Oxide). Very aesthetic and beautiful.

Photo by Leon56

[Leon56]

TOPAZ

In the beginning I collected topazes according to their transparency and diversity of colours, as well as according to their origin and various inclusions. However, it may happen that my collection of the beautiful topazes will never be finished ...

Topaz on rhyolite
Locality: Hacienda Rivera near Hidalgo, Durango, Mexico
Dimensions: 2,8 x 3.0 x 1,5 cm

Topaz
Locality: El Chalten, Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina
Dimensions: 3,7 x 3,5 x 2,5 cm

To be continued...


Topaz from Pakistan
Locality: Topaz - Dassu, Skardu Road Pakistan
Dimensions: 3,0 x 3,0 x 3,0 cm


Topaz from Myanmar (Burma)
Locality: Sakangyi Gebiet, westlich von Mogok, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma)
Dimensions: 3,6 x 4,0 x 2,5 cm

Topaz from Namibia
Locality: Klein Spitzkopje granite stock, Swakopmund, Swakopmund District, Erongo Region, Namibia
Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.5 x 2.0 cm


Topaz with Albite from Pakistan
Locality: Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan.
Dimensions: 3,4 x2,0 x1,8 cm.


Blue Topaz from Minas Gerais, Brazil
Locality: Teixerinha mine, Itinga, Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Dimensions: 5 x 3.8 x 2.5 cm

Topaz from New Hampshire, USA
Locality: South Baldface Mountain, Chatham, Carroll Co., New Hampshire, USA
Dimensions: 3.0 x 2.8 x 2.2 cm



this collection will never be finished...

[Leon56]

Topaz from Pakistan with a small dark green tourmaline on a side.
4 cm x 3 cm

Topaz from Pakistan with a very nice cognac color.