11 Feb2018
New Fluorites from Berbes,Asturias,Spain
Author Archive
21 May2017
Opening mineral museum Seedorf, Uri, Switzerland
Don’t miss to see the beautiful mineral museum with great finds of the “Strahlers” from Uri.
Special exhibition this year is “Fluorite”.
16 Apr2017
Alpine Fluorites
Fluorite, Göscheneralpe, Uri, Switzerland
Fluorite on Smoky Quartz, Zinggenstock, Berner Oberland, Switzerland
14 Mar2017
New Amethyst scepters from Namibia
03 Feb2017
Tourmalines worldwide
GSW,35 - Tourmaline
Location: Cruzeiro Mine,Sao Jose da Safira,Minas Gerais,Brazil
Size: 1,1x3,7x0,8cm
Weight: 10,9g
From a classic and most productive mines in Minas Gerais. A beautiful lustrous bi-colored crystal with steep, pink termination and gemmy green body. Mining at Cruzeiro mine took place in 1915 and since then, several different pegmatite bodies have been worked out.
Price: SOLD
PW,22 - Tourmaline
Location: Himalaya Mine,Mesa Grande District,San Diego County,California,USA
Size: 1,8x6,3x1,8cm
Weight: 52,4g
One of the most famous mines in North America, with a rich production of gem-grade Tourmalines. This crystal grades from pink to green and back to pink again. Unusually for the mine, you see a good gemmyness throughout.
Price: 2350€
PW,54 - Tourmaline
Location: Barra do Salinas,Coronel Murta,Minas Gerais,Brazil
Size: 1,9x3,2x1,0cm
Weight: 8,0g
Rare "Mohrenkopf" Tourmaline from Brazil. Extremly interesting specimen, coming from a light blue to a colorless "Achroite" part, ending in a black termination! Minor Lepidolite visible at the bottom.
Price: 480€
WP,15 - Tourmaline
Location: Ogbomosho,Oyo State,Nigeria
Size: 2,0x2,5x1,4cm
Weight: 16,3g
Since the late 1990s, these characteristic smoky pink Rubellites took place on the market. This crystal is complete and has gem quality, the termination shows the typical Tourmaline faces. Ex. Peter Wondratschke collection.
Price: SOLD
WP,3 - Tourmaline
Location: Paprok,Kamdesh District,Nuristan Province,Afghanistan
Size: 2,8x5,5x2,0cm
Weight: 67,2g
An unusual Elbaite, that's a rare style and color pattern. The multiple termination is in perfect condition. The pegmatite field includes several different workings south of Paprok village, on the right side of Kehi Dara Valley. Ex. Francois Lietard specimen, ex. Peter Wondratschke collection.
Price: 2200€
GSW,115 - Tourmaline
Location: Veadinho claims,Marilac,Minas Gerais,Brazil
Size: 1,4x3,5x0,9cm
Weight: 10,4g
These typical Tourmalines come from a pegmatite district, NW of Marilac, not far away from Veadinho creek. Complete all arround, you see a nice grouping of two reddish-green crystals. The bottom is partly transparent, the green part gemmy.
Price: SOLD
WP,6 - Tourmaline
Location: Barra do Salinas,Coronel Murta,Minas Gerais,Brazil
Size: 1,1x4,4x0,8cm
Weight: 11,6g
What a great Tourmaline pencil. It is not huge in size, but the internal clarity is outstanding. Comming from a green bottom, most of the crystal shows a perfect blue color. The specimen comes from one of the several granite pegmatites, west of Coronel Murta. Ex. Peter Wondratschke collection.
Price: 2400€
WP,7 - Tourmaline
Location: Dara-i-Pech,Chapa Dara District,Konar Province,Afghanistan
Size: 1,8x2,7x1,8cm
Weight: 21,1g
Although you see a small crystal, I think it's a rarity. A complete gemmy, strong striated Verdelite with a very interesting multi-faceted termination in perfect condition. Ex. Peter Wondratschke collection.
Price: 1750€
GSW,81 - Tourmaline
Location: Cruzeiro Mine,Sao Jose da Safira,Minas Gerais,Brazil
Size: 0,8x2,4x0,7cm
Weight: 5,0g
An old classic Cruzeiro Tourmaline from the late 1960s. The color of the crystal is much stronger in person with several pink layers.
Price: SOLD
Pak 3,25 - Tourmaline on Clevelandite
Location: Stak Nala,Haramosh Mountains,Skardu District,Gilgit-Baltistan,Pakistan
Size: 3,2x2,6x2,2cm
Weight: 11,4g
Surrounded by well arranged Albite blades, this Tourmaline shows a olive-green color, ending in a 1mm termination of "Achroite". Stak Nala is the most productive Tourmaline location in Pakistan, this specimen was found in 2013.
Price: 150€
13 Jan2017
Incredible Fluorite find in Switzerland
The Göscheneralpe area is famous for several Fluorite finds. In the last two years a local “Strahler” opened a new cleft with gorgeous crystals in combination with Smoky Quartz. The Fluorites show different colors, from the typical pink to deep red, the faces are mostly frosted, partly covered with Chlorite. The size of the octahedrons is outstanding, up to 15 cm on the edge!
22 Nov2016
New alpine classics in stock
Smoky Quartz Gwindl, Tiefengletscher, Urseren, Switzerland, 13x5x7 cm
Huge Smoky Quartz Gwindl, Fedenstock, Felli valley, Uri, Switzerland, 14x13x4 cm
Smoky Gwindl with Adularia, Giuv vallea, , Switzerland, 13x5x7 cm
23 Oct2016
Welcome to Munich show
Welcome to Mineralientage Munich
Hope to see you all at our booth in hall A 6.411
09 Feb2016
Alpine Minerals 1
GSW 5738 - Quartz
Location: Cavradi gorge,Curnera Valley,Tujetsch,Vorderrhein Valley,Grischun,Switzerland
Size: 5,8x12,0x5,3cm
Weight: 254g
A great collector specimen. Water-clear Quartz crystals, sitting on the typical matrix with small Calcites and minor Tourmaline. Cavradi gorge is one of the classic Alpine areas and regular blasting by the local "Strahlers" brings good material from time to time. You see the entrance to the narrow gorge in spring.
Price: €330
GSW 1612 - Smoky Quartz Gwindl
Location: Zinggenstock,Oberaar lake,Grimsel area,Hasli Valley,Bern,Switzerland
Size: 6,5x7,0x2,5cm
Weight: 164g
Smoky Quartz Gwindl from a famous swiss mountain. Beautiful dark color and great transparency are the plus points of this specimen. Some contact on the edges and one on the backside are not visible from the front, a nice Alpine Gwindl. The photo shows the "Vorderen Zinggenstock", where the huge clefts were located.
Price: SOLD
AF 1 - Fluorite
Location: Göscheneralp,Göschenen Valley,Uri,Switzerland
Size: 8,0x6,4x6,0cm
Weight: 264g
Pink Fluorite from a major find in 2014. Although this octahedral crystal is not gemmy, it shows a translucent pink color. The longest edge measures 5,5cm, which is big for alpine Fluorites! The frosted crystal is embedded in a matrix with small Adularias and a tiny Smoky Quartz.
Price: SOLD
KU 1,43 - Hematite
Location: Cavradi gorge,Curnera Valley,Tujetsch,Vorderrhein Valley,Grischun,Switzerland
Size: 5,0x4,0x5,0cm
Weight: 55g
Small, but very cute. This specimen shows the classic para genesis of this locality. Blades of very thin,glossy Hematites with minor Rutile on clear Quartz in combination with Adularias. Several clefts are worked out in the perpendicular wall.
Price: €480
GSW 5796 - Smoky Quartz
Location: Zinggenstock,Oberaar lake,Grimsel area,Hasli Valley,Bern,Switzerland
Size: 4,0x7,2x3,7cm
Weight: 108g
Smoky Quartz specimen from the well known "Rufibach cleft". The transparent, doubly terminated crystal measures 4,3x1,6cm and is perfectly perched on the edge of the granite matrix. Only one small point of attachment. Several small,gemmy "Smokys" are scattered over the matrix. Ernst Rufibach found this cleft in the late 1970s, for many years it produced hundreds of beautiful Smoky Quartz specimens. Oberaar lake and Zinggenstöcke in the evening.
Price: SOLD
KU 1,13 - Hematite
Location: Fibbia,Gotthard Massif,Tessin,Switzerland
Size: 6,8x7,0x6,0cm
Weight: 290g
Here you see a remarkable "Iron Rose" from one of the great European classic localities. A ball of thin Hematite blades with very good luster sits on Adularia matrix. Some points of attachment are visible, but overall, this is a great Alpine specimen. Comes from an old swiss collection.
Price: €1950
GSW 5213 - Emerald
Location: Leckbachrinne,Habach Valley,Hohe Tauern,Salzburg,Austria
Size: 2,4x7,3x3,7cm
Weight: 82g
Emerald from this classic Austrian locality. The 1,3cm crystal is sitting in the typical Biotite schist matrix and shows a nice deep green color. These Emeralds cannot compete with the Columbian ones, but keep in mind, that these samples come from an Alpine deposit! Mining was started in 1860 by Samuel Goldschmiedt from Vienna, different owners followed and for a long period and presently the Steiner family of Bramberg works at the different levels of the deposit.
Price: SOLD
GSW 1757 - Smoky Quartz
Location: Strem Valley,Tujetsch,Vorderrhein Valley,Grischun,Switzerland
Size: 5,5x7,0x3,6cm
Weight: 154g
Clear and lustrous Smoky Quartz cluster from the steep walls of the "Stremhörner". Only very small points of attachment visible. The area on the photo produced very nice Smoky Quartz and a few Gwindls.
Price: SOLD
GSW 5630 - Smoky Quartz
Location: Furka pass area,Goms,Wallis,Switzerland
Size: 6,5x4,5x3,5cm
Weight: 48g
Beautiful Smoky Quartz group from a beautiful area in Switzerland. This specimen features a bright brownish variety with good luster and gemmyness. The doubly terminated crystal measures 4cm. Comes from a find not far away from famous Rhone glacier.
Price: €270
GSW 1760 - Smoky Quartz Gwindl
Location: Strem Valley,Tujetsch,Vorderrhein Valley,Grischun,Switzerland
Size: 6,4x5,0x2,2cm
Weight: 92g
Very nice curved Smoky Quartz Gwindl. The edges are slightly covered with Chlorite, the main crystal is limpid, you can read a newspaper through it! This Gwindl is, like most of them, broken of the matrix, beside this, no damage present.
Price: SOLD
11 Dec2015
Classic minerals from England
GBJ 1,21 - Fluorite
Location: Hilton Mine, Scordale, Hilton, Escarpment District, Cumbria, England
Size: 3,8 x 3,5 x 2,7cm
Weight: 32g
A very aesthetic miniature. The perfect, transparent penetration Fluorite twin is surrounded by smaller crystals. Hilton Mine worked from 1824-1876, reopened from 1896-1919. The area is now used by military, further collecting is not allowed.
Price: SOLD
GB 2,108 - Galena
Location: Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead, Alston Moor District, Cumbria, England
Size: 3,4 x 4,5 x 3,0cm
Weight: 92g
Several intergrown cubic Galenas, sitting on white Ankerite crystals. Only one contact on the backside of the specimen. Smallcleugh Mine was opened in 1770 and worked by different companies until 1900. A famous occurrence at the mine was a dinner party, held in a large stope, today called the "Ballroom Flat".
Price: € 190
GBJ 1,59 - Pyromorphite
Location: Roughton Gill Mine, Roughton Gill, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England
Size: 4,5 x 7,0 x 2,0cm
Weight: 73g
An old english classic. Extremly rare combination of Pyromorhite on Plumbogummite.The matrix is coated with bluish-gray Plumbogummite, numerous Pyromorphites up to 3mm are scattered over the specimen. The Roughton Gill Lead Mine worked in the late 1700s and most of the 1800s.
Price: € 1200
JM,1 - Hematite
Location: Florence Mine, Egremont, West Cumberland Iron Fields, Cumbria, England
Size: 7,4 x 3,7 x 4,4cm
Weight: 291g
Brilliant lustrous botryoidal Hematite, var. "kidney ore", sitting on a massive Hematite matrix. Florence Mine, which was in use until 2008 was the last working deep iron mine in Western Europe. A lot of fine quality Hematite for jewellery industry was mined here.
Price: € 180
GB 2,47 - Fluorite
Location: Blue Circle Cement Quarry, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England
Size: 4,5 x 6,5 x 3,0cm
Weight: 104g
Rare color from this Quarry. Lots of small twins cover the hard limestone, the clear crystals show beautiful purple color-zoning. Blue Circle Cement Quarry is located south of Eastgate and was in operation for limestone from 1965 until 2002.
Price: SOLD
GBJ 1,46 - Mimetite
Location: Dry Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England
Size: 6,0 x 7,0 x 4,5cm
Weight: 255g
An old time specimen of orange-brown, rounded crystal aggregates of Mimetite (var. Campylite). Broken white blades of Baryte make a nice contrast. The Caldbeck Fells with several mines is a fine area for collectors, nice samples can be found on the numerous dumps.
Price: € 590
Rog,1 - Fluorite
Location: Rogerley Mine, Frosterley, Weardale, North Pennies, Co. Durham, England
Size: 21,0 x 15,0 x 6,0cm
Weight: 2010g
Large plate of ironstone, richly covered with twinned, deep green Fluorites. Half specimen is covered with white Aragonite, which makes a nice contrast. Bottom is sawn for trimming proposes. The UK Mining Ventures team found this Fluorite in 2010.
Price: € 370
GBJ 1,29 - Fluorite
Location: Hilton Mine, Scordale, Hilton, Escarpment District, Cumbria, England
Size: 5,5 x 3,5 x 5,0cm
Weight: 89g
Very rare specimen from famous Hilton Mine. You find only very few samples with such separated crystals on iron stone matrix. The transparent penetration twin shows the typical yellow color with very thin blue zoning at the terminations. Hilton Mine worked from 1824-1876, reopened from 1896-1919. The area is now used by military, further collecting is not allowed.
Price: SOLD
JM,2 - Hematite
Location: Egremont, West Cumberland Iron Fields, Cumbria, England
Size: 9,2 x 1,5 x 1,5cm
Weight: 65g
An interesting Hematite pencil with good luster.
Price: SOLD
GB 2,60 - Fluorite
Location: Blue Circle Cement Quarry, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England
Size: 4,0 x 5,0 x 4,0cm
Weight: 119g
Fluorite from Weardale. Several clusters of very clear, twinned Fluorites on limestone matrix. The main crystals measure up to 1,2cm and are free of any damage. The Blue Circle Cement Quarry is located south of Eastgate and was in operation for limestone from 1965 until 2002.
Price: € 270
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