Thumbnail specimen collectors corner.

More new minerals today.

A new one for my Boron Dry Lakes collection. Rare, from Type location.


Another rare one from its Type Location.


Not rare, but rare from this location.


Rare.

I had to do a little more research on Gilsonite myself. This is the type location for Gilsonite, and the only place on earth with enough to be mined commercially. It was the key component in the black paint used on Henry Ford's Model T's, and was also key in the production of the old 78 RPM records. Damn !! Learned something new today.

That's a rare and cool specimen, Don! Have you had the opportunity to take any fluorescent mineral pics lately?

Here's a few new minerals that I recently acquired that I wanted to share. Most of these are small mineral cabinets, except for the realgar TN and the trilobite pair.


Wulfenite and lime-green mimetite with calcite from Mexico



cheater-shot of wulfenite, mimetite and calcite




Trilobites?
@rocks2dust kindly sent us fossils in matrix. He told me to scrub the matrix from the fossils gently using a toothbrush. Rick decided to wet his to remove it from the matrix. After seeing Rick's specimen removed from its matrix, I did the same. Rick's trilobite is on the left and mine is on the right.




Stilbite sheaves with apophyllite (India)




sparkly rhodochrosite (Africa)




Realgar with orpiment thumbnail (Nevada, USA)




Malachite with calcite (Africa)




zoom shot of cute calcite crystal on malachite




Corundum on biotite (Madagascar)




Making sure y'all are paying attention
Shed snake skin I almost picked up a couple of days after the 4th celebration. Thought it was part of a bottle rocket.




Not azurite, but cornetite on malachite from Zaire
This one is really pretty in the sunlight; the blue xtals sparkle




bottom of cornetite on malachite specimen




Chalcedony with apophyllite (India)




opposite side of above specimen - apophyllite on chalcedony




cheater shot of apophyllite crystals - sparkle like diamonds




Chalcedony cheater shot (above specimen)




Calcite on zoned fluorite on zinnwaldite (Africa)




Calcite cornflakes




Perfect for personal protection - azurite from Arizona, USA




Acicular malachite with quartz




cheater shot of acicular malachite with cute little quartz crystals taking a peek

Thanks for taking a moment to check 'em out.

Thank you, Don!

Did you like the snake skin specimen?



ROFL!!

Don, it's a snakeskin I almost picked up that was in our front yard. I thought it was part of a bottle rocket, until I leaned over to pick it up. The snake wasn't anywhere to be found. I placed the picture with the specimen photos to see if folks noticed it.

Looking good Don! I have a buddy that has a claim in that area,he sent me some minerals from his claim....I should find them..
Maybe do some horsetrading with ya'.....I know the smoky quartz was one of them..

More minerals this evening Jan. They just arrived. Gotta take pics. Even a nice Almandine Garnet in this batch.

Don, I'm lusting, I mean really like your almandine - nice locality, too! That's a cool pseudomorph! Dang @ the freebie specimens - those boleites are fascinating and have beautiful color and neat xtals. The dioptase is fantastic! The orpiment is really pretty. Please don't get tempted and lick it. Has your wife asked you to place a warning label on it? Just kidding with you.

Don, have you purchased or won any specimens this week for us to admire?

Here's an Alaskan prehnite small cabinet-sized specimen that I purchased from glennz01 that arrived today. It's sprinkled with clear calcite crystals and is a darker green than what it appears in the photos I took of it.


Alaskan prehnite