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2 items @ $85.00  

Ore Minerals, part 1

Thursday, 13 July 2023 06:00 PM

A wide array of excellent, rich, and large ore minerals from classical mining districts.

Lepidolite

with Spodumene - #AH58898
Locality
Harding mine, Taos Co., New Mexico, United States 
Formula
K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2 
Availability
Sold
Size
6.5 x 4 x 5 cm - Sm Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral , pegmatite mineral , lithium  

Rich purple mass of crystalline Lepidolite with Spodumene. Both are rich ores of lithium. The white is Albite. 


Lepidolite

Formula
K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2 
Crystal System
Monoclinic 
Crystal Habit
Platy, Foliated, Massive 
Cleavage
Perfect, None, None 
Luster
Vitreous - Pearly 
Color
colorless, gray white, lilac, yellowish, white 
Streak
white 
Class
Monoclinic 
Fracture
Uneven 
Hardness
2.5-3 
Collection
Arnold G Hampson Collection

Manganese Oxide

#RW62062
Locality
Lordsburg dist., Hidalgo Co., New Mexico, United States 
Formula
MnOx 
Availability
Sold
Size
8 x 5.5 x 5.5 cm - Sm Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral  

Just a chunk of dull black manganese oxide, perhaps Pyrolusite. Once in the Trimingham collection.


Collection
Robert J. Waidler Collection
SOLD
Miargyrite - 62057
Miargyrite - 62057

Miargyrite

#62057
Locality
Kelly mine, Randsburg dist., San Bernardino Co., California 
Formula
AgSbS2 
Availability
Sold
Size
5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 cm - Sm Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral , sulfide , silver  
Special Info
EDS Confirmed 
Special Info
Raman 

Silvery mass of pure Miargyrite. It has a dark rusty red streak with an adamantine luster. Miargyrite, a silver-antimony sulfide, contains about 37% silver. It is typically found in hydrothermal vein deposits with other silver minerals such as proustite, pyrargyrite, and polybasite. It is actually a minor ore of silver because it is rather rare.


Miargyrite

Formula
AgSbS2 
Crystal System
Monoclinic 
Crystal Habit
Euhedral Crystals, Disseminated, Massive 
Cleavage
Imperfect, None, None 
Luster
Sub Metallic 
Color
steel gray, lead gray, blackish red, reddish gray 
Streak
cherry red 
Class
Monoclinic - Prismatic 
Fracture
Brittle 
Hardness
2-2.5 
Special Info
EDS Confirmed
Special Info
Raman

Nickeline

with Breithauptite - #RW62063
Locality
Nipissing mine, Cobalt, Timiskaming dist., Ontario, Canada 
Formula
NiAs 
Availability
Sold
Size
8 x 7.5 x 0.8 cm - Sm Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral , sulfide , nickel  

This is a slab of nickel ore with components of both Nickeline and Breithauptite. Both of these minerals are opposite ends of a complete solid solution. I believe the Breithauptite rims the Nickeline in this specimen. The habit as seen in the photos can be described as plumose or even arborescent growth. The color is unique to Nickeline, which is described in literature as a pale copper-red. The occurence in the Cobalt district of Ontario is a vein deposit which also includes Cobalt and Silver and is one of the richest and historic localities on Earth.


Nickeline

Formula
NiAs 
Crystal System
Hexagonal 
Crystal Habit
Massive, Reniform, Columnar 
Cleavage
Imperfect, Imperfect, None 
Luster
Metallic 
Color
lead gray, grayish, copper, black 
Streak
brownish black 
Class
Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal 
Fracture
Uneven 
Hardness
5.5 
Collection
Robert J. Waidler Collection
Mineralpedia
View Nickeline
On Dakota Matrix
Previously Sold Nickeline
On Dakota Matrix
Other Available Nickeline
WebMineral
View Nickeline
Mindat
View Nickeline

Petalite

#DL62083
Locality
Tanco pegmatite, Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada 
Formula
LiAlSi4O10 
Availability
Sold
Size
10.5 x 5 x 5.5 cm - Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral , pegmatite mineral , lithium  

This specimen is white to colorless mass of Petalite, an ore of lithium. Petalite can be easily confused with Quartz. Quartz however is a little harder, and Petalite has distinct cleavage. Quartz also has cleavage but is rarely seen. Petalite is also lighter than Quartz. A flame test and density test would be the best way to discriminate Petalite from Quartz. Shown in the photos is the reflection of Petalite's cleavage.


Petalite

Formula
LiAlSi4O10 
Crystal System
Monoclinic 
Crystal Habit
Massive 
Cleavage
Perfect, Imperfect, None 
Luster
Vitreous - Pearly 
Color
colorless, gray, yellow, yellow gray, white 
Streak
colorless 
Class
Monoclinic - Prismatic 
Fracture
Brittle - Conchoidal 
Hardness
6-6.5 
Collection
Dr. David London Collection
Mineralpedia
View Petalite
On Dakota Matrix
Previously Sold Petalite
On Dakota Matrix
Other Available Petalite
WebMineral
View Petalite
Mindat
View Petalite

Pyrargyrite

with Quartz - #55165
Locality
Uchucchacua mine, Oyon prov., Lima dept., Peru 
Formula
Ag3SbS3 
Availability
Sold
Size
6 x 4.5 x 4 cm - Sm Cabinet 
Tagged
ore mineral , sulfide , silver  

A good example of this high silver ore coming in at nearly 60% silver. Pyrargyrite is one of the so-called "ruby silvers". It has a nice purplish red streak with an adamantine luster. 


Pyrargyrite

Formula
Ag3SbS3 
Crystal System
Trigonal 
Crystal Habit
Massive, Crystalline - Poor, Prismatic 
Cleavage
Poor, None, None 
Luster
Sub Metallic 
Color
deep red, red gray 
Streak
cherry red 
Class
Trigonal - Ditrigonal Pyramidal 
Fracture
Brittle - Conchoidal 
Hardness
2.5 

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