Mindat Mineralogy Messageboard - Best Minerals G

Gadolinite (30 replies)

Olav Revheim — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:21:06 +0000

Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities? I am on very thin ice on a lot of this stuff, and help will be appreciated.

GADOLINITE

Gadolinite-Y Y₂FeBe₂[O|SiO₄]₂
Gadolinite-Ce Ce₂FeBe₂[O|SiO₄]₂, Monoclinic


Gadolinite-(Y) Slobrekka, Iveland, Aust-Agder, Norway. A 4cm crystal	© Olav Revheim

The photo I have selected as the main photo is definately not the best quality photo, nor the biggest crystal in the database. The reason I picked it is that the crystal itself is the most perfectly developed gadolinite crystal I have seen, with razor sharp edges and a bright black lustre you normally does not see in crystals this size. I do hope to be able to re-photograph this beauty.

Gadolinite is a rare mineral first described from the famous Ytterby pegmatite outside Stockholm, Sweden. A odd piece of black, coal like rock was found in 1787 by the Swedish army Lieutenant, Karl Axel Arrhenius. He realized that the rock was too heavy for coal, and he believed the unknown rock was an hitterto unknown ore of wolfram, that was recently described. He gave the specimen to the chemist Johan Gadolin of the university of Åbo at Turku, Finland. Gadolin investigated the new mineral and in 1794 he announced that odd black rock contained 38wt percent of a new "earth", which he named Yttria, now Yttrium. He had isolated yttrium oxide. The black rock, was of course an unknown mineral, and it was later named gadolinite. ( John Emsley:2001, Nature's building blocks ISBN-13: 978-0-19-850340-8) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Gadolin).Today, Gadolinite is split into two different mineral species based on it’s chemical composition, gadolinite-Y and gadolinite-Ce.

Gadolinite was subject to thorough research by scientists in the 19th century and it is one of the mineral species that had the largest influence on the devolopment of mineralogy and chemistry in this period. After Gadolin's discovery of yttrium, it was found that the oxid of this new element had different properties when extracted from different sources, indicating that it contained impurities from other elements. Carl Gustav Mosander's successful isolation of Erbium and Terbium ( yes, they are both named after Ytterby) in 1843, really sparked the interest of this group of elements ( the Rare Earth Elements or Lanthanides). The British chemist William Crookes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crookes) summarized the exitement of the time like this:

" The rare earth elements perplex us in our research, baffle us in our speculations and haunt us in our very dreams. They stretch like an unknown sea before us, mocking, mystifying and murmuring strange revelations and possibilities".

In the core of all this exitement was the ugly, black mineral, gadolinite. A total of 5 (Johan Kjellmann 2009) or 7 (Emsley 2001) elements was extracted from gadolinite, namely terbium, erbium,ytterbium, lutetium, holmium, thulium and dysprosium (again Emsley 2001). Properties like metamictization ( the fact that radioactive minerals loose their internal structure over time and become amorphus) and that heat may restore this structure was also first described from gadolinite.

Gadolinite sparked an interest also in the US, where it was found in the great Barringer Hill pegmatite. The mineral rights for this pegmatite was held by Thomas Alva Edison, finding that yttrium oxid was a useful "glower" in electrical lamps. In 1903 he sold the rights of the yttrium lamp the the German chemist Walther Nernst, which was quite successful, both as a scientist and a business man. (http://www.nernst.de/lamp/nernstlamp.htm).

It appears that the mineral can be found in two very distinct geological environments. The largest crystals are found in REE enriched pegmatites embedded in feldspar. These crystals are normally black and metamict amorph, but can nevertheless be found in complex and beautiful crystals. 33 different crystal shapes has been described from Hidra alone, and Goldschmidt has drawn up 30.

Gadolinite can also be found in pockets with a variety of other minerals, either in miarolic cavities in batoliths or alpine type veins. These crystals show a wide variety of habits, colours and appearances, sometimes of very complex chemical composition. Zoned crystals, partly gadolinite-Ce and partly gadolinite-Y can be found. Gadolinite in the alpine occurances can show a rather large variation in chemical composition, grading towards hingganite (Fe deficiant) or darolite ( Ca and B enriched).

Gadolinite is a very interesting mineral for collectors and mineral displays due to it's historical importance, rarity and the number of different crystal shapes.

Most displayed specimens in museums are from Norway, Sweden or Barringer Hill. In particular those museums acquiring high end specimens in the 19th and early 20th century has very fine gadolinite specimens. This includes British Museum, Smithsonian, Ecole du Mines and several German and Scandinavian museums.

Display size specimens with well developed crystals may achieve retail prices exceeding USD 1000, and even incomplete smaller crystals in the 2-3cm / 1 in range are rarely available for less than 100-200 USD

In this text I have included both micromounts and larger crystals in an attempt to show some of the diversity this mineral shows, both in appearance and geological environment. Where several good locations can be found within a small geographical or geological area, I have grouped these ( for instance the Evje/Iveland pegmatite district), and for some of the other countries such as Italy and Austria I have picked one or a few location as an example of how the mineral occurs in that specific country. In doing this I may unintentionally leave out several good locations, and any suggestion/correction will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Austria
Tyrol, North Tyrol, Ziller valley,Zamser Grund (Zams valley), Schrammacher Mt, Oberschrammach glacier


Gadolinite-(Y) 3mm perfect crystal	© Manuele Moro

The Schrammer mountain is located in the western part of the Tauern window in the Alps. The Tauern window consists of high grade metamorphic rocks ( greenschist to amphibolite facies). Apparantly, the Scrammer mountains consist of metamorphosed granodiorites and granites. Hydrothermal veins postdating the orogony are enriched on REE elements, thus forming small crystals of several rare minerals in vugs. Gadolinite is one of them, and it can be found in bottle-green crystals several mm tall.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Italy
Lombard, Varese Province, Ceresio Valley, Cuasso al Monte


Gadolinite-(Y) FOV 2,4mm	© Elmar Lackner


~3mm Gadolinite-(Y) on Orthoclase	©

Chemical and paragenetic studies were performed on gadolinite-group minerals occurring in miarolitic pink granite and granophyric leucogranite of the subvolcanic Hercynian plutons at Baveno and Cuasso al Monte, Southern Alps, Italy. In the localities investigated, gadolinite-group minerals are hosted in massive pegmatite, in aplite, and in miarolitic cavities having different degrees of evolution. The petrological relations indicate that progressive crystallization has occurred from magmatic through to hydrothermal conditions. At Baveno, Ce-rich gadolinite-(Y) (with Sigma REE > Y) formed during the primitive stages of pegmatite crystallization. Gadolinite-(Y) (with Sigma REE < Y) formed in pegmatites and granophyric aplites during primitive to moderately evolved stages of these dikes, grading towards hingganite-Y in hydrothermal cavities.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Italy

Trentino-Alto Adige, Bolzano Province (South Tyrol), Vizze Valley (Pfitsch Valley), San Giacomo, Vizze pass (Pfitsch pass)


meaningful gadolinite-(Y) crystal 2,8 mms on quartz	© Manuele Moro

Vizze Pass is another area where rare minerals can be found in alpine veins in metamorphic rocks in the Alps.

"Here I have found the gadolinite in small but well formed crystals of quality it gemmates.
Unfortunately also in this place as in that preceding they are very rare, but at times looking for with some fortune they are found.
The rock is always metamorphic and more precisely an quartzporphyr in a conglomerate gneiss absorbed.
Very interesting the fact that is the same fissure mineralized where the genthelvite and others rare mineral is found." (Manuelle Moro 2009)
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Norway
Vest-Agder, Hidra, (Hitterøe)


Gadolinite-Y 5.3 x 4.8 x 1.9 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

The Hidra granite pegmatites is one of the great locations for gadolinites and they were worked for quartz and feldspar in the 19th century. At least 10 different pegmatites( max 6 m wide and 100m long) contained gadolinite, and in particular Urstad and Igletjern ( Eldjarn 2009) supplied large crystals. Hidra became the main source of large gadolinites after and in addition to the Ytterby pegmatite at the time. The university of Stockholm has 35 gadolinite samples from Hidra ( Brotzen 1959). Well developed crystals approaching 40 cm could be found. Gadolinite from Hidra is represented in several museums across Europe and the best can " be admired in the display of the Geological museum in Bergen. I hope you will get some pictures of those." ( Knut Eldjarn 2009).

The paper "The granite pegmatites of Hitterø" (Olge Adamson 1942) provides and excellent summary of the Hidra pegmatites and their minerals:
" Gadolinite is found in all the much worked quarries, but in varying amounts. It occurs partly as beautiful crystals of about 1 cm magnitude or smaller, partly as about 5 cm large crystals, then mostly with biotite, partly as enormous crystals up to 40 cm length. It is always found altered into a metamict state. The faces sometimes have a yellow-white covering of tengerite. Gadolinite has been observed in quartz, microcline, oligioclase, biotite and muscovite. It is clear that the formation of gadolinite exteded over a long period. the small beautifully crystallized, form rich gadolinites are obviously formed first- The crystals that grow upon biotite and consequently are younger than biotite, are poor in forms and are generally irregularly developed. The big gadolinites sometimes show a contemporary crystallization with mica and feldspar. "
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Norway
Aust Agder, Setesdalen, Evje
Aust Agder, Setesdalen, Iveland


Gadolonite-Y	©

In the Evje/Iveland area, several hundred small quarries has been worked for feldspar, quartz, mica and REE minerals. All pegmaties containing REE minerals lies in an amphibolite body. Old specimens, such as the one from British museum ( see link above) are often labeled Sætersdalen, Setesdalen or similar. Good crystals of gadolinite has been found in several quarries in the area, and dark REE rich garnets and allanite are good lead minerals. The best area has been the Frikstad area in northern Iveland, where the quarries Slobrekka, Tuftane and Birkeland stands out. Gadolinite was one of the profitable by-products from the feldspar production, and fairly decent records of the production has been kept. The largest known crystal was 500 kg’s, and stood out in the pegmatite as “ a small squatting man”, and crystals exceeding 100 kgs are known from several of the quarries. Gadolinite from here show a remarkable complex crystal development, and numerous crystal shapes. Most of the larger (> 1 in.) specimens I have seen for sale has been from this area, often older specimens, although good finds has been made the last 5-10 years as well. ( ref [www.mindat.org] )

Aust-Agder, Iveland, Frikstad (Frigstad)


Amazing group of gadolinite-Y crystals to 5 cm	© Knut Eldjarn


9,5 cm crystal	© A. Michalsen

This is a general geographical area in the northern part of the Iveland Municipality. Older specimens labeled Frikstad or even Iveland or Setesdal would normally have it’s origin in one of the quarries in this area. It is virtually impossible to tell which one. I have picked three of the quarries for further description:
Aust-Agder, Iveland, , Frikstad (Frigstad),Slobrekka (Frikstad 7) pegmatite


gadolinite-Y 6,5 cm crystal	© Olav Revheim

The largest gadolinite crystal has been found here ( +/- 500kg), and it has been one of the richest sources of gadolinites in the area. Slobrekka is the source of the best modern finds ( the last 10 years) with black, shiny and complex crystals appraoching 10 cm.
Aust-Agder, Iveland, , Frikstad (Frigstad), Tuftan pegmatite,
Small quarry, now filled with garbage, was in the 1950-ties and 60ties an abundant source of gadolinite, davidite, thortveitite and other minerals.
Aust-Agder, Iveland, Birkeland, Iveland, Aust Agder


gadolinite-Y 8,5 cm crystal	© OT. Ljostad

These quarries occationally produces some specimens even today. The 4 quarries on the Birkeland farm has produced several hundred kilograms of gadolinite. This is the most likely source of staircase cystal groups..
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Norway
Nordland, Tysfjord, Hundholmen


gadolinite-Y 1,5 cm crystal	© Knut Eldjarn

The Hundholmen pegmatite is one of the largest and most mineral rich of a number of granite pegmatites in the Tysfjord area of Northern Norway. It is the type locality of hundholmenite. The pegmatites are rich in REE-minerals. Gadolinite-Y has been found in some of the pegmatites mainly in the border zone of large masses of yttrian Fluorite and as grains embedded in the yttrian fluorite.Good crystals to several mm have also been found and more rarely at the Hundholmen pegmatite larger and well formed crystals to about 1,5 cm are known. The Gadolinite-Y from Hundholmen is bottle-green and non-metamict which is unusual for Gadolinites from REE-pegmatites ( Eldjarn 2009)
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Sweden
Dalarne, Falun, Kårarvet (Kararfvet; Korarfvet)


gadolinite-Y field of view 35mm	© C.H.M.-Schäfer

There are two gadolinite bearing pegmatites on the Kårarvet farm, termed the "old" and the "new" location, where the new occurance was described for the first time in 1860. The current state of these locations are unknown. Gadolinite was found in elongated wedgeshaped pieces without obvious crystal shape, often enclosed in a thick rusty crust of alteration products, sometimes completely altered. Gadolinite could however, as a rarity, be found in well developed crystals like the one pictured. Gadolinite occured in a coarse grained quartz/microcline/plagioclase/muscovite pegmatites with garnet and other Y/REE minerals.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Sweden
Uppland, Vaxholm, Resarö, Ytterby


gadolinite-Y crystals 2cm	© AÖ 2007


gadolinite-Y field of view 10cm	© C.H.M.-Schäfer

This location was the earliest pegmatite opened for production of quartz and feldspar in Sweden. It was in operation from about 1794 to 1933.Even today, more than 75 years after end of operation, this mine is an icon for everyone interested in REE minerals and and elements.

Ytterby is the type locality for gadolinite, yttrotantalite and tengerite, all found before Levinson (A suffix like gadolinite-(Y), or gadolinite (Ce) type is known as a Levinson modifier, named after Alfred Levinson who introduced this procedure in a paper in 1966, ).

The pegmatite is almost vertical with a ”pinch and swell” structure. The 5-6 expanding “swell” areas could be followed down to approx. 160m below surface. The pegmatites were worked for both quartz and feldspar. The rare minerals, REE-Ta-Nb-Ti oxides, REE phophates, - carbonates and – silicates was more abundant in the upper parts of the pegmatite, to around 50-60m below surface, with the uppermost 25 m as the richest.

The Ta/Nb fraction was higher in the upper portion of the pegmatite than further down. The Ta dominant oxides yttrotantalite and formanite was more common near the surface, whereas fergusonite became more common towards the deeper parts of the mine in the middle of the 19th century.

The gadolinite occurs in feldspar with biotite or muscovite, often associated with the Ta-oxides. The crystals varies in size from an approximate pea size up a large fist. It was difficult to free undamaged crystals ( as they where embedded in feldspar), but when successful specimens of very high quality was the result. The gadolinite paragenesis is frequently brecciated and pseudomorphosed to amongst other xenotime-rich nodules. (Johan Kjellmann 2009). Gadolinite was found with biotite that has often restricted the development of the gadolinite crystals. It was also found embedded in microcline, most frequently with poorly developed crystals, but quite often as perfectly developed crystals. A total of 14 different crystal shapes are described. Gadolinite was quite frequent at the location, or "gadoliniten.....påtraffats i mycket riklig mangd" to use the words of W.Peterson, 1890 in Studier övfer gadolinit ( studies on gadolinite)
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Switzerland
Wallis (Valais), Goms, Oberwald, Furka basis tunnel (west section)


gadolinite-Y field of view 3mm	© Stephan Wolfsried

During tunnel construction work, a number of different minerals was found

The identification on these light gadolinites from the alpine occurances has been questioned ( Stefan Wolfried, Pavel Kartashov and Uwe Kolitsch 2009). Johan Kjellmann (2009) has confirmed this uncertainty by providing the following information: "Demartin et al. 1993 (Can. Min. vol. 31, pp. 127-136) has the material you're talking about. Abstract pretty much verify your (Uwe and Pavel) statements:
Gadolinite-(Y) specimens from various localities in the Alps have been examined by electron microprobe and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In general, dysprosium is the most abundant rare earth, although a few samples contain approximately equal amounts of Dy and Yb, and in one instance, Gd predominates. In contrast to many non-Alpine occurrences, most of these specimens show only limited amounts of the lighter REE. There is an almost constant presence of calcium (up to 4 wt% CaO, and possibly twice that amount for more questionable samples); iron is often markedly deficient with respect to the theoretical formula, and in at least one case (Glogstafelberg), the material should more properly be called hingganite-(Y) (4.0 wt% FeO). In some specimens, a significant substitution of B for Be (up to about 4.2 wt% B2O3) can be deduced from crystal-structure data, on the basis of linear interpolation of the measured Be-O bond lengths with respect to other gadolinite-group minerals. This substitution is more extensive for specimens high in Ca and low in Fe, and which therefore grade toward darolite. No evidence for replacement of Si by B has been found. Minor amounts of thorium (up to 0.4 wt% ThO2) commonly are present, and uranium (0.3 wt% UO2) was found in one specimen. As for xeootime and monazite, the behavior of Y is not uniquely determined by the ionic radius, some specimens being especially enriched in this element with respect to the middle-heavy rare earths (up to 41.5 wt% Y2O3). "
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-?
USA
Colorado, Jefferson Co, Clear Creek pegmatite Province,Roscoe Beryl Mine (Roscoe pegmatite)

On the locality pages of Mindat, the gadolinite from here is listed as gadolinite-Ce, I have chosen to question this as the pegmatite is a granite pegmatite apparantly with Y/Ce >1. Well developed monoclinic crystals has been found here, the largest partial crystal 11 cm. There are several gadolinite bearing pegmatites in this area, and gadolinite is found embedded in microcine, and is interpreted to be formed at the same time as the feldspar. At the Roscoe pegmatite, gadolinite has been found embedded in albite. It is believed that the albite has replaced microcline without significantly altering the gadiolinite.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
USA
Texas, Llano Co, Bluffton, Baringer Hill (Barringer Hill), Bluffton,

The Baringer Hill pegmatite is an almost mythical REE pegmatite. It is intruded into a granite, which in turn is intruded into the Valley Spring and Packsaddle metamorphic formations. There are several other pegmatites in the area, and one of them contains REE minerals. (see [www.mindat.org]) The pegmatite was discovered in 1887 and worked for feldspar, gadolinite and other minerals on and off until 1907. Today the the pegmatite lies under water, as the Lake Buchanan was formed as a reservoir for drinking water and hydroelectricity. The construction of the over 2 mile wide Buchanan dam was completed in 1939.

The pegmatite itself was descriped as a 40ft hill, 100ft wide and 250 ft long. It had a zone of graphic granite along the border, then a internediate zone consisting of mainly microcline and a quartz core that reach 40ft width at the widest. The REE minerals was quantitively rare, but could still, occationatily form large crystals. Gadolinite-Y is one of the minerals that was found in very good, very large crystals. Crystals or crystalline masses exceeding 200 lbs has been reported, and the 73 lbs crystal group pictured in the wikipedia article on Baringer Hill is second to none. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barringer_Hill). Crystals from here are represented in most of the major museums collecting minerals in the second half of the 19th century, buth in the US and in Europe. At Baringer Hill as for Ytterby, Hidra and Evje/Iveland gadolinite can be found both fresh and as partly altered crystals.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Y
Gadolinite-Ce
Austria
Gastein Valley, Böckstein, Moos Outcrop
Gastein Valley, Böckstein,Municipal Quarry


Municipal Quarry, Böckstein, Gastein Valley	©

The Municipal Quarry location is a long time abandoned quarry in a in a granittic gneis with crossing aplite and pegmatite veins. The mineralization occurs in clefts in the rock, and small (micros), but well developed gadolinite-Ce crystals has been found. The Municipial quarry has only one cleft with Gadolinite in the left corner of the quarry. Some people have found Gadolinite in the last years, I have found my only Gadolinite in 2007. Interesting at the Municipial quarry is that the Gadolinite xls are mostly well terminated and not metamict. Most Gadolionite xls are associated with Muskovite, Chlorite, well terminated Aeschynite-(Y) and Titanite, sometimes with Rutile or Brookite. (Information received from Martin Slama-2009)
A similar but better gadolinite locality is the "Moos" which is located about 150m behind the Municipial quarry. At this location Gadolinite-(Y) is quite common and can also be found today. From this location the largest Austrian Gadolinite is known, it is a perfect xtl with about 1,5cm and has been found by Roland Winkler! However the location is really small even today Gadolinite can be found. The last found I know is only one week ago. (Information received from Martin Slama-2009).

I have treated these two localities as one location in this article due to their geological and geographical proximity. According to the Mindat locality pages, the mineralization at the Moos location is in the same rock formation as the Municipality Quarry. I find it quite interesting though that both gadolinite species are found within such a small area.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Ce
USA
Washington, Okanogan Co, Golden Horn Batholith, Washington Pass


gadolinite-Ce	© Saul Krotki 2009

The Golden Horn batholith is a quite recent (~45 mill years) alkaline granite enriched in REE. The gadolinite is found as small (mm sized) brownish crystals in miarolic cavities in the rock. Several great location photos from the area are uploaded to mindat.

In another thread on refering to a gadolinite crystal from this location, Saul Kroti ( 2009) states the following:

"This gadolinite, was found to be metamict, and required gradual recrystallization by annealing for forty-eight hours at 700˚ C, before a distinct diffraction pattern could be obtained. Accomplished by John Attard, December 2008, the pattern matched gadolinite-(Ce) Type material from the Bjørkehalen pegmatite, near Buer, Norway, reported by Segalstad and Larsen (1978).

In many samples the outer-most zones or encrustations are yttrium dominant, (in 8 fold coordination), but in the inner cores Ce dominates Y by a large margin. I do not yet know how consistent this observation will prove to be. But that was so for thirty crystals examined.

Oscillatory zones with light and dark bands examined in polished thick section show only the most subtle variations of composition, not yet summarized. But in this specimen the texture is not what you find in the crystals with the dark and light bands which you see only by surprise in BSE/SEM, but not in photomicrography."
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gadolinite-Ce
Norway
Telemark, Porsgrunn, Bjørkedalen, Buer


gadolinite-Ce	© Knut Eldjarn

This is the type locality for gadolinite-Ce. The gadolinite-Ce crystals are found embedded in a syenite pegmatite of the same type as the famous Langesundfjord pegmatites. Gadolinite-Ce has also been found in a few other pegmatites in the area. The crystals are black and metamict amorph. More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.
More information on this and/or similar locations will be highly appreciated.

Gold (22 replies)

Rock Currier — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:58:48 +0000

Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities? After each set of pictures there should be some descriptive text. If none appears it means that we need someone to tell us about the specimens from that locality and something about the geology of the occurrence.

Gold
Au isometric


Gold wire from an unspecified locality in California. From the Burage collection at Harvard University ~12cm wide	©

Of all the native metals found on earth, Gold is probably been the most universally sought after, valued and cherished. It has been used as a store of value in bars and coins and jewelry since the dawn of civilization. It occurs sparingly in most places and where it does occur in modest abundance, men have moved heaven and earth to go to those places and their pursuit of it has changed the course of history. Some think that it was the gold from Africa, brought to Europe from Mali and Bekino Faso in Africa by Arab traders that remonetized the economy of Europe and made the Renaissance possible. It drew the conquistadors to the New World and again changed the course of history. Gold is commonly found in tiny flakes in some alluvial gravels. A few gravels produce larger flakes than others, and sometimes it is found in nuggets of considerable size, some many pounds each. Alluvial gold found in gravel or in rocks that were at one time alluvial before their consolidation probably counts for about 75% of all gold produced. Mindat lists more than 18 (2009) thousand localities for gold and probably the majority of them are for alluvial flakes and nuggets and there are probably at least as many more that are not listed or yet undiscovered. Mineral collectors are usually not all that interested in alluvial gold unless the nuggets are of an interesting or attractive shape. But even the most jaded collector will find themselves appreciative when they heft a nugget weighing several pounds in their hand. Gold nuggets never sell for much of a premium over their gold value, and a dealers will consider themselves lucky if they can buy nuggets for spot value and sell them at a 50% mark up. Very attractive nuggets may bring twice their gold value. Small nuggets of a size suitable for their use in Jewelry will often sell for double their gold value. Natural gold, flakes and nuggets always contain other metals mixed in. This is most times silver and copper, and the purity of the alluvial gold will range in purity from about 60% upward in rare cases to about 95% and even more. The further the gold has traveled from its source the higher the gold content becomes. The silver, copper and other admixed elements are mostly removed by chemical processes that take place in the ground as the gold moves away from its source.

The kind of gold that collectors love in cherish is "specimen gold" and by that I mean leaves and wires of gold and especially specimens showing well formed gold crystals. This kind of gold will bring up to ten times the price of gold per ounce and in some cases much more. But well formed gold crystals are not easy to come by. Most of this kind of gold is not found in alluvial deposits, because gold is very soft, and the act of rolling around in alluvial deposits with other rocks quickly batters and rounds the specimens into nuggets and flakes. So gold crystals must grow in "pockets" in the rocks in which they are formed, so in most cases, good gold specimens (wires, leaves and crystals) must be taken from the "living rock" or very close to where it has weathered out of those rocks.

Gold is chemically very inert and survives in the earth much longer than most other native elements like copper, silver and iron. To dissolve gold chemically you need a chemical reagent called aqua regia which is a nasty mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids. A great many gold specimens are associated with quartz and when mined it is frequently found growing through and completely, intimately surrounding the the gold. The amount of gold in such rocks can be so low that you can't even see the gold or so rich that the majority of the gold/quartz rock is comprised of gold. Miners often call this rich ore "picture rock". Many times the value of these rich specimens can be further improved by removing some or all of the Quartz so that the gold becomes more prominent. About the only way to achieve this and not deform the gold further, is to etch the quartz away with hydrofluric acid. This is a dangerous toxic acid, and you don't want to use it without some training and safety equipment. After this treatment, the surface of the quartz looks rather white and sugary and not at all like the original texture of the original natural quartz. This effect can be mitigated by removing as much as possible this sugary coating by mechanical means like an air scribe (tiny hand held jack hammer) and exposing the unetched quartz below.

When gold is found, the people who find it are as secretive as possible about where they find it. When asked where the gold came, almost always the finder of the gold will give a false locality and not a correct one. So often finding the true locality of a gold specimen is difficult and many times impossible. Finding a good locality for unlabeled gold specimens is like trying to locate a moonshiners still. When a well known gold mine produces a lot of rich gold specimens, it is a real head ache for the management. This is because many miners will try and steal these rich specimens for personal gain. Sometimes they may sell them, but if they do, they will never be sold with the correct locality. Gold mining companies would much rather run a gold mine with large but low grade ore reserves where eye visible gold is rarely seen. Books have been written about the eternal cat and mouse games between ingenious highgrading miners miners and and the mining companies doing what ever they can to prevent theft. Other books have been written about unethical mine promoters who "salt" worthless gold mines to make them look like valuable properties to foolish investors. One of the classical ways of doing this is to load shotgun shells with flakes of gold and blast them into the walls of mine workings.

When buying gold, the buyer must consider the potential for fraud. Large gold nuggets can be easily faked and or adulterated and what is offered for sale may be mostly lead or heavily diluted with silver and copper. Making nuggets just takes a melting pot and a tumbler with rocks in it to make the nuggets look real. On several occasions wonderful gold crystals have been offered for sale but when ex-rayed it was found that they were not crystals of gold, but had been cast after pyrite crystals or hand made models. The casting of gold into almost any shape is a simple technology that has been know for hundreds of years. Also of some concern are Gold crystals that have been grown electrolytically in tanks. I have seen several fabulous looking specimens of big blocky gold crystals that were grown electrolytically. I suspect that such gold crystals would be of a suspiciously very high purity if tested. When I buy gold specimens I like to see the specimens associated with other minerals or at least from a well known mine that is known to be producing specimens of a known character.

The gold localities talked about here and the specimens used to illustrate them are really only the tip of an iceberg. Probably no other mineral is hoarded and secreted as much as gold. Those who have it really don't want others to know that they have it because it invites envy and burglary. For every specimen shown here there are in many instances hundreds of better ones in hiding. As dazzling as you might think these specimens are, you would be blinded by the others if they all came out of hiding. Gold is universally bought and sold in troy ounces. One troy oz.= ~31.103 grams. When possible and known I have listed the weight of the the large gold specimens in troy ounces in the captions below their images.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
Afghanistan
Ghazni (Gazni) Province, Zarkashan gold deposit


Gold with Malachite 2.9cm wide	© H. Obodda

Gold
Australia
New South Wales


Gold ~5cm tall	©

Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Tongowoko Co., Tibooburra


Gold, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Wellington Co., Ophir


Gold nuggets, largest is 2.4cm tall	© Mark Rheinberger 08

Gold
Australia
Queensland


Gold ~14cm wide 35oz	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
Australia
Queensland, Gympie Region, Eldorado Mine


Gold in & on Quartz, 2.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
South Australia, Mt. Lofty Ranges, South Mt Lofty Ranges, Montacute, Victoria Gold Mine


Gold on Quartz, 4.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
Tasmania, Corinna-Savage River district, Long Plains goldfield


Gold, 1.5cm wide	© R. Bottrill 2007

Gold
Australia
Victoria, Ballarat


Gold, FOV 10cm	©


Gold in Quartz ~7cm wide	©

Gold
Australia
Victoria, Bendigo


Gold in Quartz ~5.2cm across	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 2.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold 7.5cm wide, 2.5oz	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
Victoria, Moliagul, Black Lead


Model of Welcome Home Stranger nugget. ~60cm wide, 2520oz (71kg).~90%pure gold	© 2007 Peter Cristofono

The Welcome Home Stranger nugget, found in 1869 by a Cornish miner, John Deason near the base of a stringybark tree. It is thought to be the largest mass of alluvial gold ever found.

Gold
Australia
Victoria, Mt. Ivor


Gold, 11 cm tall ~23oz.	© L.Bernard

Gold
Australia
Victoria, Wedderburn


Gold 11cm, ~27oz, 90% pure	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Gold Crown Gold Mine


Gold on Quartz, 1cm tall	© J.J. Evans

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Meekatharra


Gold on Quartz, 2.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Goldfields-Esperance region, Leonora Shire, Yandal greenstone belt, Bronzewing goldfield, Bronzewing Mine


4.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie-Boulder City, Kalgoorlie, Salt Lake City


Gold in Quartz, 5cm tall	©

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines


Gold & Quartz, 3.6cm tall	© fabreminerals.com


3.5cm tall	© fabreminerals.com


Gold & Quartz, 3.4 cm wide	© fabreminerals.com

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines, Fimiston Open Pit Mine (Super Pit)


Gold, 9.7cm wide, ~26oz.	© Mario Pauwels

Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Laverton Shire, Leonora


Gold, 15.2cm wide, ~16.4oz	© Mario Pauwels

Gold
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Rauris valley, Hüttwinkl valley, Alteck Mt. - Hoher Sonnblick Mt. area, Kolm-Saigurn, Rauriser Goldberg


Gold v. electrum & Albite, FOV 8mm	© mslama

Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Larecaja Province, Tipuani, Tipuani alluvials


Gold, 1.7cm wide	© Arliguie M

Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Murillo Province, La Paz City, Chuquiaguillo River


Gold, 4cm tall, 81 grams	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Brazil
Central-West Region, Mato Grosso, Alta Floresta


Gold crystal, 2.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Brazil
North Region, Pará, Carajás mineral province, Curionópolis, Serra Pelada Mine


Gold, 4.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Brazil
Northeast Region, Bahia


Gold, 3.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Brazil
Southeast Region, Minas Gerais, Nova Lima, Morro Velho mine


Gold, 1.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

This is a gold mine that has been in operation for more than hundred years and its underground workings extend down 3000 meters. It has produced many tons of gold. It has produces some spectacular gold specimens, but the little example above is one one of them. The mine is better known to collectors for the beautiful specimens of pink Apatite, Siderite, Quartz and red Scheelite crystals that is sometimes produces.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
Canada
British Colombia


Gold crystals ~4cm tall	©

Gold
Canada
British Colombia, Atlin Mining Division, Tagish Lake, Engineer Mine


Gold v. electrum, 2.5cm wide	© Rob ++++++++

Gold
Canada
British Columbia, Cariboo Mining Division, Barkerville area, Williams Creek (Wyoming Hydraulic Mine; Stouts Gulch; Emery Gulch)


Gold ~4cm tall, 35gms	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador, Newfoundland, Baie Verte Peninsula, Betts Cove, Nugget Pond Mine


Gold, 2.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 2.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold & Microcline, 1.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 1.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Richmont Mines of Montreal owned this property with a wonderful mill that had locks and security guards. However, right beside the mill was the wide open mine with not even a door. They found one guy with a meter sized gold boulder having a hard time taking it out of the mine in a wheel barrow!!! It is a real tragedy that the shareholders of Richmont never knew what they had and never knew the value that the management destroyed. This was a spectacular crystallised gold deposit in very distinctive matrix with pink feldspars. You could recognize this matrix from across the room. The gold ranged from spongey, to leafy, to well crystallized. Sadly very little has survived. Around the turn of the century there was a court case where 15 stood accused of theft. Only a few of the miners were convicted. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of prerpared specimens were siezed and went to the crusher. A few large good specimens escaped to Europe. The Canadian federal police (RCMP) showed up in Tucson shortly after the trial and accosted and questioned Canadians about these golds. A couple of years ago I was looking for a good Nugget Pond specimen and the reply to my enquiries was, "The last time I was asked about this, it was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police!"
[Rob Woodside, 2009]

Gold
Canada
Nova Scotia


Gold in Quartz ~5cm tall	©


Gold in Quartz, 3.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Canada
Ontario, Algoma District, Missinabi, Renabie Mine


Gold, 1.1cm tall	© Dan Weinrich

Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Porcupine area, McIntyre Mine (Pamour Mine)


Gold in Quartz, 6 cm wide	© RWMW

During the 1980's Pamour Mines had a specimen preparation team who picked the quartz away from the gold, estimated the bullion value, and sold the specimens in lots at twice bullion. Hundreds of specimens were prepared but at $200 per ounce for bullion many were sent to the crusher and after a year or two the operation, but not the mine, ceased production. The gold was emplaced in quartz veins in greenstone. Most of this Northwern Ontario Gold deposited as crystralized gold similar to the California motherload material. However, over a billion years of tectonic activity largely obliterated the crystals. Rarely one can find small surviving octahedrons and twinned crystals.
[Bob Woodside, 2009]

Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Timmins, Timmons Gold Mine


Gold crystals, 2.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, Balmertown, Red Lake Mine (Goldcorp Mine; Arthur White Mine)


Gold, 3.1cm wide	© Timothy J. Blackwood


Gold, 14cm center	© 2008 Dr. M. Lueg

Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, McKenzie Island, McKenzie Mine (McKenzie Red Lake Mine)


Gold in Quartz, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold in matrix, 7.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Canada
Québec, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, La Vallée-de-l'Or, Val d'Or, Sigma mine (Sigma No. 1 mine)


Gold in Quartz/Tourmaline, 4.5cm wide	© Raymond McDougall

Gold
Canada
Yukon Territory, Dawson Mining District


Gold, 1.9cm tall	© Danny Jones


Rough Gold crystal, 1cm tall	© Danny Jones

Gold
Chile
Antofagasta Region, Tocopilla Province, Sierra Gorda District, Caracoles, La Compañia Mine


A 1mm flake of Gold with Boleite	© Don Volkman 02/06

Gold
Chile
Coquimbo Region, Elqui Province, Andacollo, Andacollo Mine


Copper and Gold, 2.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Close up of picture to the left.	© Rob Lavinsky

The gold on this copper specimen is in the form of tiny crystals growing on the copper crystals which you can see is you look carefully.

Gold
China
China
Sichuan Province


Gold, 2.7cm wide	© fabreminerals.com


Gold, 3.9cm wide	© fabreminerals.com

Gold
Czech Republic
Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Central Bohemia Region, Vlašim (Wlaschim), Roudný


Gold on Quartz ~11cm wide, <1850]	© Jakub Jirásek

Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Central area, Shinkolobwe, Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine)


Gold in Uraninite, 4cm wide	©

The Shinkolobwe mine is a primarily a uranium mine that also produced a lot of copper. The ore from this mine produced the uranium for one of the first atomic bombs that was made in the USA during the second world war. It is much better know for the many wonderful specimens of rich uranium secondary minerals that are cherished by many collectors, but it is one of the few places where native gold and Uraninite has been found and though the Gold specimens from there are not very good, the combination is rare and cherished by collectors.

Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Kolwezi, Western area, Mashamba West Mine


Gold & Malachite, 6.5cm wide	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

The Mashamba West mine is basicly a big open pit copper mine that has produced thousands of tons of malachite which is its primary copper ore. A few scruffy good specimens have been found from time to time and you can be sure that the best of them is better than is shown here. It is currently a big partially water filled open pit and inactive save for some local villagers who go there to hand ming cutting grade malachite from its benches.
[Rock Currier, 2009]

Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Musonoi Mine


Gold, 1cm wide	© Arliguie M

The Musonoi Mine has been included in the newer KOV pit and is a big open pit mining operation that has fallen on hard times and when it works at all has a small crew of men that work it mostly for malachite ore when they can get the equipment up and running. The mine occasionally produces a few small gold specimens, but the mine is much better known for the wonderful Torbernite and other uranium minerals that it produced in the past.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
Dominican Republic
El Seibo Province (El Seybo Province)


Gold 1.7cm, 3.2oz	©

Gold
Ethiopia
Wallaga (Welega; Wollega; Ouallega) Province


Gold nugget, 14.5oz	© F. Malfatto for MRSN - Turin

Gold
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu, Tavua Gold Field, Vatukoula, Emperor Mine


Gold & Quartz~13cm wide	©


Gold, close up of specimen on the left.	©


Micro crystal of Gold	© crocoite.com

The Emperor mine is better know for its specimens of gold teluride minerals like Sylvanite and Krennerite than for its gold specimens. All the gold specimens that I have seen from the mine have been quite modest, but there must have be much better specimens from here than we show here. The mine is quite large and its geology similar to that of Cripple Creek, Colorado. They are mining mineralized structures containing a lot of quartz that radiate out from a not to recently extinct volcanic caldera. It is a very hot mine and in sliding down through the stopes I noted refrigerator size pockets lined with inch size white pyramidal quartz crystals of not particular virtue. It was easy to imagine that over the long history of the mine that some of these pockets might have contained substantial amounts of gold and gold teluride minerals. Given the rather remote location of the mine it is easy to understand why so few specimens have made their way to the outside world. At Cripple Creek Colorado high grading miners easily managed to convert gold and gold teluride minerals into bullion by very simple means (fire). Undoubtedly a similar fate befell almost all of the good specimens of native gold and crystals of various gold teluride minerals at this mine.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
France
Rhône-Alpes, Bourg d'Oisans, Isère, La Gardette Mine


Gold on Quartz, 5.3cm wide	© G.E.G.M - FRANCE

Gold
Hungary


Gold on Stibnite crystals, ~7.5cm wide	©

Gold
Indonesia
Sumatera Island (Sumatra Island)


Gold in Quartz ~5cm wide	©

Gold
Ireland
Co. Wicklow, Croghan Kinshela Mountain, Gold Mines River


Gold nugget ~4cm wide	©

They don't find much gold in Ireland and I think this may have been one of the better specimens found.

Gold
Italy
Aosta Valley, Ayas Valley, Brusson, Brusson Mine


Gold in Quartz ~6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold in Quartz, 10cm wide	© FRANCO LAZZARI


Gold in Quartz 2.6cm	© fabreminerals.com


Gold in Quartz, 2.4cm wide	© Chinellato Matteo

Gold
Japan
Honshu Island, Kinki Region, Hyogo Prefecture, Yabu-gun, Nakase mine (Nakaze mine)


Gold in Quartz, 2.3cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Madagascar


Gold Nugget, 8cm wide	© J.Ralph


Gold nugget, 9cm wide	© J.Ralph

Gold
Mexico
Sonora, Mun. de Alamos, Alamos


Gold, 2.5cm tall	© fabreminerals.com

Gold
New Zealand


Gold in Quartz, ~7cm wide	©

Gold
New Guinea
Papua


Gold crystal ~2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 1.5cm wide	© Mark Rheinberger

Gold
New Guinea
Papua, Enga Province, Mt Hagen, Mt Kare Valley, Porgera Mine


Gold, 4.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 2cm tall	© Kristalle and Crys


Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide	© Mark Rheinberger


Gold, 2 cm tall	© Danny Jones


Gold, 2.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 3.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Peru


Gold on Quartz, ~5cm tall	©

Gold
Peru
Junín Department, Huancayo Province, Carolita, Pampa San José


Gold, 1.4cm	© Tony Peterson

Gold
Philippines
Mindanao, Caraga Region, Agusan Sur, Bunawan


Gold nugget, 4cm wide	©

Gold
Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)
Ituri District, Mongbwalu


Gold, 4cm wide	© Kristalle and Crystal Classics

Gold
Romania


Gold & Sphalerite, 4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Botés


Gold on Quartz, 3cm wide	© CCURTO08

Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Roşia Montanã (Verespatak)


Gold on Quartz ~5cm tall	©


Gold on Quartz ~5cm wide	©


Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 3.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold leaf, 3.1 cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on drusy Quartz, 8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

In my youth I met an old European collector/dealer in New York City who said that at one time he was able long ago to go the mining company at this locality and they would open their safe where they kept gold specimens that they had mined and buy crystallized gold at its bullion value.

Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Brad, Ruda Barza


Gold wires on Quartz 4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Sacarîmb (Sãcãrâmb; Szekerembe; Nagyág)


Gold & Sphalerite and Quartz 13x6 cm wide	©

Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Trestia Mine


Gold & Copper on Quartz 6cm wide	© RWMW

Gold
Romania
Maramures Co., Roata Mine, Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)


Gold, Calcite & Quartz (Tn?)	© 2002 Thames Valley Minerals

Gold
Russia
Urals Region,Middle Urals, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', Ekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Berezovskii (Berezovskii Zavod), Berezovskoe Au Deposit (Berezovsk Mines)


Gold (10x6 cm)	©


Gold Nugget (FOV 2 cm)	© 2006 M. Kampf


Gold Spinel Twins (~1 cm)	©

The specimens of Russian gold we have shown here are OK, but they are really pretty sad compared to all the great gold specimens from many localities that Russia has produced. In the Diamond Fund museum in the Kemlin, there are many fist size and double fist size gold nuggets, some of which show rudimentary crystals, and those are just the ones on display. Perhaps some day we will be able to get good pictures of fine Russian gold specimens to show in this article.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Kremnica Mts, Kremnica (Körmöcbánya; Kremnitz)


Gold (3.7x3.5x1.9)	© Marek Patúš

Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Banská Štiavnica Mining District, Hodruša - Hámre


Gold, Quartz & Pyrite, 6.6cm	© fabreminerals.com

Gold
South Africa
Gauteng Province, Johannesburg


Gold, 5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Most of the gold taken from the mines in this, the most productive gold mining district in the world is not visible. In fact specimens of visible gold from this locality are rather rare. Mostly this is because rich specimens of gold and rock are quite rare and the other is that the Laws of South Africa make it illegal to own natural gold and diamonds unless you have the proper permit, which few people bother to apply for. A few good specimens of crystallized gold are know from the rand, but they are very rare, so rare in fact that you will be lucky to ever hold one in your hand.

The gold mines of the Rand (the Johannesburg area) are currently the richest in the world and for many years they have produced more than any other country in the world (272,000 kilograms in 2008). The gold is mined from steeply dipping conglomerate beds (at one time the gold was free alluvial gold until this alluvium was buried and metomorphosed into rock by heat and pressure. At one time these fossilized alluvial layers (reefs) outcropped on the surface but now all the easy ore has been gotten and the shafts and other mine workings have chased the ore deeper and deeper till today some mines have operational levels at 12,000 feet below the surface. As mining progresses downwards, temperatures rise, and the deep level mines of the rand have some of the hottest working conditions in the world and keeping the mines safe to work in and at a bearable temperature calls for a huge investment in refrigeration and other infrastructure elements. There is still a Gold ore in the ground, but the deeper the mines go chasing it, the more costly it is to mine, and at some point, the cost of mining it may exceed the value of the gold produced.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
South Africa
Mpumalanga Province, Barberton District, Sheba Mine


Gold (3.5x2.5x1.7 cm)	© CCURTO08

Gold
Spain
Andalusia, Almería, Níjar, Rodalquilar


Gold (8 cm)	©

Gold
United Kingdom
England, Devon, South Devon, Torquay, Hope's Nose


Gold, 8 cm wide	©


Gold, 10 cm wide	©


Gold, 9 cm wide	© J.Ralph


Gold, FOV 2 cm	© Peter Haas

These delicate arbourescent growths are leached out of calcite from veins on the beach beside a sewer outlet. It is highly illegal to collect these, but that hasn't stopped the application of dynamite. The gold ranges in colour from bright yellow pure Gold to a tan brown Palladian Gold. There are also rare palladium minerals associated. Probably a few hundred specimens collected and they don't get any better than those pictured here.
[Rob Woodside 2009]

Gold
USA
Alaska


Gold crystals ~3cm tall	©


Gold, 4.5cm wide, 63.8gms	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Arizona, Cochise Co., Mule Mts, Warren District, Bisbee, Cole Mine (Cole shaft; Cole No. 3)


Copper & Gold, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Arizona, Maricopa Co., Mystic Mine (Mystic Gold Mine)


Gold "sponge", 6cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts


Gold, 5.5cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts


Gold in Quartz, 4cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts


Gold sponge, 3cm wide	© 2003 John H. Betts


Gold, 6.5cm tall	© 2002 John H. Betts


Gold, 2.4cm wide	© 2003 John H. Betts

Gold
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co., Mammoth District, Tiger, St. Anthony deposit, Mammoth-Saint Anthony Mine (Mammoth-St Anthony Mine; Mammoth Mine; St. Anthony Mine


Gold in Quartz, 1.8cm tall	© Michael Cline

The Tiger mine produced a few scruffy gold specimens, but is much better know for its specimens of other secondary ore minerals like Wulfenite, Dioptase, Cerussite, Leadhillite, Caladonite etc.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co.


Gold with Quartz, 2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold & Quartz, 2.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co., Bradshaw Mts (Bradshaw Range), Castle Creek District, Castle Hot Springs area


Gold in Quartz, 2.6 cm wide	© Michael Cline

Gold
USA
California


Gold crystals ~6cm wide	©


Gold crystals ~9cm tall	©


Gold crystals/leaves ~7cm wide	©


Gold xls on Quartz ~8cm wide	©


Gold xls on Quartz ~6cm across	©


Gold leaves/xls ~7cm tall	©


Gold ~11cm wide	©


Gold nugget ~7cm across	©


Gold xls, 1.7cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold & Arsenopyrite ~5cm wide	©

I think California has produced more good specimen gold than any other place. It is mostly from the Mother Load area which runs south to north through Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Tuolumne, Plumas and Yuba counties. It may have also produced the best specimens of all different kinds of gold. The Los Angeles Museum of Natural History has on display more than 100 kgs of gold specimens including 159 large gold nuggets weighing in at about 31kgs from the Ruby mine in Sierra Co., California. It is probably the best gold exhibit here in the United States. Without the discover of gold in California in 1849 the history of the United States would be a lot different than it is today. The reason that the above pictures have been placed here rather than with their respective actual localities is that their localities are not known, so this general catch all locality of Gold, California has been created for them. If and when knowledgeable people step forward and identify their true localities, we will remove them from here and place them in their true locality galleries.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Bald Mt, Browns Flat


Gold & Altaite ~4cm wide	©

Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Sixteen - To - One Mine


Gold in Quartz ~9.5cm tall	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Georgetown District, Spanish Dry Diggins, Grit Mine


Gold, ~15cm tall	©

Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Placerville (Hangtown)


Gold & Quartz ~4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 3.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold specimens ~3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co.


Gold crystals, 1.9cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals ~2cm wide	©


Gold crystals, 2.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold ~14cm wide, 27oz.	© Lyla Tracy

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Quartzburg


Gold in Quartz ~3cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Triumph Mine


Gold & Arsenopyrite 2.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Bear Valley, Diltz Mine


Gold, 1.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 1.8cm across	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Colorado, Colorado Mine (Colorado Quartz Mine)


Gold xls on Quartz "The Dragon" 18cm tall	© J.Ralph


Gold crystals, 4.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold & Quartz, 5.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold xls, 1.9cm tall	© fabreminerals.com


Gold crystals, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 1cm across	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold & Quartz, 5.7cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

One of the most prolific sources of fine crystallized gold in recent times (1980 to 2010) has been from this mine. Much of the gold mined is in the form of thin veins of white massive quartz completely shot full of gold, much of it very well crystallized. The gold is exposed by carefully dissolving away most of the gold with hydrofluoric acid and then further removal of the etched quartz surfaces by the use of air scribes (little hand held jackhammers). Sometimes the Quartz vein material is x-rayed before the preparation process is started to better direct the preparation process. Hundreds of fine specimens have been produced by this mine and only a tiny portion of them are pictured above.
[Rock Currier 2009]

Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Mockingbird Mine


Gold on Quartz, 4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 4.6cm across	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 2.9cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 10cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold xls on Quartz, 6.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co.


Gold crystals ~7cm tall	©


Gold, 7.5cm wide	© Edwards Minerals

Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Grass Valley


Gold leaves, 3.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals ~8cm wide	©


Gold crystals ~7cm wide	©


Gold 1.3cm across	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 23cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Massachusetts lode


Gold crystals ~4cm wide	©

Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Washington District, Washington, Red Ledge Mine


Gold crystals ~6cm wide	©


Gold, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co.


Gold on Quartz ~3cm wide	©


Gold xls, largest ~1.7cm wide	©

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Eagle's Nest Mine (Mystery Wind Mine)


Gold on Quartz, 15cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 5.7cm tall	© Edwards Minerals


Gold on Quartz 3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 3.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 8.5cm tall	© RWMW


Gold crystals, 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 10.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 3.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 4cm tall	© fabreminerals.com


Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 7cm wide	© RWMW


Gold on Quartz, 7.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co. East Belt District


Gold on Quartz, 4.2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Forest Hill, Greenwood area


Gold crystals, 3.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Michigan-Bluff District


Gold crystals, 2.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Placer County Properties Company


Gold xls., "The Eagle" ~4.5cm wide	© Joseph A. Freilich, LLC

Gold
USA
California, Plumas Co., New Greenville


Gold nugget ~18cm wide, 82ozs	©

Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co.


Gold crystals ~4.5cm wide	©

Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Alleghany District, Alleghany, Grass Valley, 16 to 1 Mine


Gold in Quartz, 4.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

This specimen is just a sad little example of what the mine really produced. One story is told about about a miner drilling into a mass of gold in quartz that was so rich that the bit got "frozen" in the hold and the miners were only able to retrieve it after the blast. There were so much gold in the quartz, that after the blast that chunks of gold filled quartz were hanging from the ceiling and walls and the miners had to use tin snips to try and cut the pieces down. The drill bit that was recovered has entirely coated with gold that had been smeared over the surface. It is now mostly a tourist attraction and you can buy specimens directly from the mine if you want. To find out more go to their website. [www.origsix.com]
[Rock Currier, 2009]

Gold
USA
California, Alleghany District, Alleghany, Oriental Mine


Gold leaves, ~12cm?	© Peter Cristofono

Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Red Ledge Mine (Bank Mining Company)


Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 1.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 4.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Siskiyou Co., Liberty District, Anna Johnson & Suprise Mine


Gold, 3.4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co.


Gold on Quartz ~11cm wide	©

Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Jamestown District


Gold on Quartz, 3cm tall	© 2001 John H. Betts

The specimen from Jamestown pictured above is pathetic compared to many of the fabulous specimens that have come from this locality. Perhaps someday we will be able to get some pictures of good ones.

Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Mother Lode (Mother Lode belt)


Gold xls on Quartz, 5.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
California, Yuba Co., Browns Valley, Yuba Gold field, Yuba Mine


Gold, 5.6cm wide, 3.5oz	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Colorado


Gold ~7.5cm wide	©

Gold
USA
Colorado, Clear Creek Co., Idaho Springs District, Dixie Mine


Gold leaves, 5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 1.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on Quartz, 2.7cm tall	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
USA
Colorado, Lake Co., Leadville District (California District)


Gold, 2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Colorado, San Miguel Co., Telluride District, Tomboy Mine


Gold on matrix, 3.7cm wide	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District


Gold wires/crystal ~8cm wide	©


Gold ~7cm wide	©


Gold wires ~6cm wide	©


Gold wires ~4cm wide	©

Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District, French Gulch, Farncomb Hill


Gold, 5.4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 6.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold ~6cm wide	© RWMW

Gold
USA
Montana, Powell Co.


Gold on matrix ~6.5cm wide	©

Gold
USA
Nevada, Elko Co., Tuscarora District


Gold, 5.6cm tall	© Dan Weinrich

Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co.


Gold, 2.5cm wide, 11gm	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District


Gold, 4.7cm wide	© Edwards Minerals

Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District, Lizard Ridge Mine


Gold in Quartz, 5.6cm wide	© fabreminerals.com


Gold, 1.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Nevada, Nye Co., Round Mountain District, Round Mountain Mine


Gold, 3.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold v. electrum, ~1.5cm?	© 2002 Thames Valley Minerals


Gold on Quartz xls, 2.8cm wide	© Collectors Edge

Gold
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Antelope District, Majuba placer


Gold, 2.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold, 1.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Olinghouse District, 813 Pit


Gold wires, 2.8cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts


Gold in Calcite/porfery ~6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on matrix, 22cm wide	© Brander Robinson


Gold in Calcite, 3cm wide	© 2004 John H. Betts


Gold on matrix, 4.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky


Gold on matrix, 7.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District


Gold nugget ~5cm?	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, Boot Hill Claim


Gold ~5cm?	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, San Pedro Mine


Gold in Calcite, 7.5cm	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Gold
USA
Washington, Kittitas Co., Swauk District, Ace Of Diamonds Mine, Liberty


Gold in Quartz, 1.5cm tall	© Michael C. Roarke

Gold
Venezuela


Gold, 3.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Icabarú


Gold crystals 1.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Santa Elena


Gold, 7mm tall	© Kristalle and Crys


Gold, 7mm	© Kristalle and Crys


Gold crystals, 2.2cm wide	© JAF, LLC

Gold
Vietnam
Yenbai (Yen Bai) Province, Luc Yen


Gold on Quartz, 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Gold
Zimbabwe


Gold on Quartz ~12cm wide	©

Galena (34 replies)

David Von Bargen — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:43:10 +0000


Joplin Field, Tri-State District, Jasper Co., Missouri, USA 14cm	© 2003 John H. Betts

Galena is the most important ore of lead, is often associated with silver minerals, and has been mined for at least 2000 years. It is found in hydrothermal veins and Mississippi Valley type deposits (MVT). Galena is a rare mineral in some granitic pegmatites. It is also found in the contact metamorphic skarn deposits. Most specimens are collected in active mines since it is an ore mineral and the good cubic cleavage makes recovering undamaged crystals from waste rock piles difficult.

The common crystal forms are the cube, octahedron and dodecahedron. About another 40 different forms are rarely encountered. Twinning is most common on {111} - spinel twins, which tend to form large platy crystals. Skeletal and hopper crystals are rare as are etched crystals. Crystals less than 5cm are commonly available from many localities.


Tri-State District, Jasper Co., Missouri, USA 4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Galena is an opaque mineral that comes in a blue gray color. The crystal faces can be shiny or dull (there may be some surface oxidation to anglesite or cerussite). Some of these altered crystals have an attractive white coating of alteration products. Rarely, you can get an iridescent coating on the crystals.

Bleiberg District, Gailtaler Alpen & Karnische Alpen Mts, Carinthia, Austria

Galena and sphalerite were deposited in the karstic Wetterstein limestone, similar to the Mississippi Valley type ores.

Although lead mining started more than 2000 years ago, the first written record about lead mining dates to 1333 and the last mine closed in 1993.

Common associated minerals are baryte, gypsum, anhydrite, fluorite, dolomite and calcite. Galena forms octahedral crystals to 4cm (commonly 1cm)


5cm	© Peter Haas

Schmalgraf Mine, Moresnet, Kelmis, Plombières-Vieille Montagne District, Verviers, Liège Province, Belgium


“gestrickter Bleiglanz” 3cm	© C.H.M.-Schäfer

Bulgaria

Galena is found either in mesothermal veins (0.5 to 2km long and up to 10m wide) and skarn deposits.

Mining began in the Roman period, but greater exploitation dates from the Turkish period. Mining is still being carried out in a number of areas.

Common associates include sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, albandite, tetrahedrite with a gangue of quartz, manganocalcite and rhodochrosite. Galena is commonly formed as cubes or octahedrons up to 20cm in size. Epitaxial growths, etch figures and spinel twins are frequently observed.

Droujba (Drujba) Mine, Djurkovo Complex, Laki (Luki), Rhodope Mts, Plovdiv Oblast, Bulgaria


Crystals to 1cm	© Edwards Minerals

Karaaliev dol deposit, Angel Yanakiev Mine, Madan ore field, Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria


7cm	© Rob Lavinsky


45cm	© Anton Ivanov

Krushev dol deposit, Krushev dol mine, Madan ore field, Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria


3cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Septemvri mine, Madan ore field, Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria


9cm	© Anton Ivanov


7cm	© fabreminerals.com

Polaris Mine (Arvik Mine), Little Cornwallis Island, Nunavut Territory, Canada
The Polaris mine was discovered in 1972 and was the most noretherly metal mine. Production was between 1981 and 2002 with 20 million tons of 17% ore. The ores are considered to ba a Mississippi Valley type and are found in a dolomite between 60 and 300 meters in depth. Galena cubes to 6cm were found, although a lot of the ore is scalenblende.
We need some photos of good specimens!

Lafarge Dundas North Quarry, Dundas, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada


12 cm	©

Březové Hory (Birkenberg), Příbram, Central Bohemia Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic


3cm	© Jakub Jirásek

Germany

Meyer Quarry, Hastenrath, Eschweiler, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
In 2007 a couple of huge pockets lined with Galena crystals up to 3 cm were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors.
The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day and they drew a lot of attention during that year's Mineralientagen in Munich.
From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral Galena modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite. Specimens up to 20 cm wide were found, some of them had mirror-like lustre whereas other ones were etched or had a layer of Anglesite on them. Accompanying minerals were Sphalerite, Aragonite, Calcite, Dolomite, Smithsonite, Malachite, Rosasite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Anglesite and Cerussite.


Galena 8x7,5cm	© Harjo


Galena, Aragonite 8x15cm	© Harjo


Galena	© Harjo

Gonderbach Mine, Fischelbach, Bad Laasphe, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Perfect, isolated tabular twins to 3 cm across. They were named "Gonderbach slabs" (Gonderbacher Platten) for this locality.
We need photos!!

Mechernicher Bleiberg, Mechernich, Eifel Mts, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany


Corkite and quartz 2cm	© Peter Haas

Herdorf, Siegerland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany


4cm	©

Pfannenberger Einigkeit Mine, Salchendorf, Neunkirchen, Siegerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Gonderbach twins to 5 cm across, also perfect spinel twins.
We need photos!!

Grimberg Mine, Niederdielfen, Wilnsdorf, Siegerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany


3.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Neudorf, Harzgerode, Harz Mts, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Neudorf is famous for the fine galena and bournonite specimens that were recovered from the Meiseberg and Pfaffenberg mines during their active working period. The galena crystals, typically showing combinations of cubic, octahedral and dodecahedral faces - the so-called Neudorf habit - did reach impressing sizes of up to 12 cm along the edges.


8 cm	©


4 cm	©


8 cm	©


7 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Freiberg, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Most of the mines in the Freiberg District produced fine groups of octahedral galena (2cm).
Most sought after by collectors are specimens of galena crystals on honey-yellow fluorite from Beihilfe Mine (pictures!!!).
Galena is often associated with fluorite, pyrite/marcasite, sphalerite and, occasionally, with sulphosalts. Gonderbach twins have also been found along with skeletal crystals in barite.


"Ringel-erz Formation" 6x4,5x2,5 cm.	© Simone Citon

Silvermines District, Co. Tipperary, Ireland

160Mt of lead/zinc ore. Similar to Mississippi Valley Type deposits but with a synsedimentary component and much higher deposion temperatures in limestones and dolomites.

Mining started in the Middle Ages, but the mine is known to the mineral community for the discovery of a large vug (3 meters long, 1 meter high and 2 meters wide) in 1978 collected by Richard Barstow. This vug produced specimens of galena, honey-yellow sphalerite and pyrite. Galena occurred as mirror-bright cuboctahedral crystals up to 2.5 cm across. The primary minerals include sphalerite, galena, pyrite, barite and siderite. The mines are currently flooded.


6cm	© Rob Lavinsky


3cm	© Rob Lavinsky


4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

San Giovanni Mine, Punta della Torre, Iglesias, Carbonia-Iglesias Province, Sardinia, Italy


3mm	© Marco Barsanti

Montevecchio Mines, Arbus, Medio Campidano Province, Sardinia, Italy


2.5mm	© D: Preite

Bottino Mine, Stazzema, Apuan Alps, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy


Twin 3mm	© Marco Barsanti

Japan
Much larger galena crystals are known from this area, for example cuboctahedrons up to 10cm from the Daira mine. A museum in Japan has a distorted cube about 12cm in size from the Ani mine. The mines are all closed and no more sulphides are coming out.

Shiraita mine, Niigata Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan


12cm	©

Casapalca, Huarochiri Province, Lima Department, Peru


15cm	© Dan Weinrich

Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia
The mineral deposits in the Dal'negorsk area were probably known in the 12th or 13th centuries, but exploitation of the deposits started about 1900. The deposits are located in hedenbergite skarns. The deposits have produced a number of other world class specimens including calcite, fluorite, pyrrhotite, and quartz.

Galena crystals usually are cubo-octahedral crystals, but cubes and octahedrons are known (usually less than 4cm), which sometimes display growth steps. Spinel twins are relatively common (and are sometimes epitaxial on sphalerite and pyrrhotite). Mosaic, skeletal and lattice specimens can be up to 30cm in size.


5cm	© Rob Lavinsky


8cm	© 2001 John H. Betts


10cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Nikolaevskiy Mine, Nikolaevskoe Pb-Zn-Ag deposit, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia


7cm	© fabreminerals.com

Troya Mine, Mutiloa, Beasaín, Guipúzcoa, Basque Country, Spain


5cm	© fabreminerals.com

Nasafjäll silver mine, Arjeplog, Lappland, Sweden
The Nasafjäll Silver mine is a hydrothermal Pb/Zn/As deposit with some Sb and Ag. The metal deposit lies in quartz lenses and gangues between the precambrian basement granite and metamorphic schists from the caledonian orogeny.

The ore was discovered in the 1620-ties and has been worked in three periods; The first period from 1635- 1659, the second from 1770 to 1810 and finally some test production in the 1850-ties. Due to the harsh climate, remote location and limited ore resources the operations has never been profitable. Good records on the annual production figures ( swedish text) can be obtained from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).

Galena occurs in gangues and lenses within the quartz, and lenses up to and exceeding 10 cm can be found even today.

I guess there will never be a lot of good material from here on the market, the location is still too remote ( 2-2 1/2 hour hike one way) and harsh ( Altitude 1000m above sea level at the artic circle) to justify any operations, whether for specimens or ore. It is a beautiful landscape though.


3cm	© Jorge M. Alves

Lengenbach Quarry, Im Feld, Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland


3mm	© Stephan Wolfsried

United Kingdom

The best Cornish galenas came from Chiverton Mine. Matlock produced fine octahedrons, often associated with calcite. Penines are Mississippi Valley Type ores. Mining for lead dates from the Roman times.

Blackdene Mine, Ireshopeburn, Weardale, North Pennines, Co. Durham, England, UK
The Blackdene has produced the finest British specimens. Loose floater groups of cubic or cubo-octahedral crystals up to 20cm on edge were found. Specimens also have associated fluorite and calcite.


4cm	© Peter Haas

Boltsburn Mine, Rookhope District, Weardale, North Pennines, Co. Durham, England, UK


5cm	© 2007, Jesse Fisher


8cm	©

Wheal Jane, Baldhu, Gwennap area, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Cornwall, England, UK


7cm	© Peter Haas

Herodsfoot Mine, Lanreath, Menheniot Area, Liskeard District, Cornwall, England, UK


1.5mm	© Steve Rust


7cm	©

Alston Moor District, North Pennines, North and Western Region, Cumbria, England, UK


9cm	© fabreminerals.com


Fluorite10cm	©

Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead, Alston Moor District, North Pennines, North and Western Region, Cumbria, England, UK

Galena from here is associated with sphalerite, fluorite ankerite. Galena (cubo-octahedral crystals to 2.5cm) are found on ankerite.


Crystals to 1cm	© Don Rust

Derbyshire, England, UK
Some 2000 named veins contained galena. 4 to 6 million tonnes of galena ore are estimated to have been mined (primarily in the 19th century, but dating back to Roman times). Cubo-octahedrons to 5cm. Was found primarily as veins in Carboniferous limestones in Mississippi Valley Type deposits. Also from Derbyshire came epiaxial growths of fluorite on galena.


10cm	©

Hampstead Farm Quarry, Chipping Sodbury District, South Gloucestershire, England, UK


cm	© Steve Rust

Old Glencrieff Vein, Wanlockhead, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK


2 cm	© M Chapman

Leadhills, South Lanarkshire, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK
Veins of quartz and ankerite with calcite, aragonite, barite and galena in sedimentary rocks.


7 cm	© J.Ralph 2009

Rhayader, Powys (Radnorshire), Wales, UK


8 cm	©

United States of America

Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA
The district mines were first opened for their lead content, but when a market for fluorite developed, galena just became a mineral that was secondarily recovered.


7 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Denton mine, Goose Creek Mine Group, Harris Creek Sub-District, Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA


8 cm	© 2008 Jesse Fisher

Galena, Galena District, Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, USA
Deposits in the area were worked by the French in the latter part of the 17th century. American settlers started moving in by the 1820's with most major areas being discovered by the 1840's. Lead production declined with the start of zinc mining in the 1860's the lead was a byproduct. Total lead produced was 72,000 tons and zinc with 846,000 tons. The only remaining mines are some tourist operations. The main ore bodies are in Ordovician rocks, but other age rocks contain subeconomic quantities of the minerals.

The crystal habit of galena changes from cubes to cubo-octahedrons to octahedrons as you go from early to late in the ore deposition process. Oxidation of the ore only led to minor surface alterations to anglesite and cerussite.


10 cm	©

Baxter Springs, Picher Field, Tri-State District, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA

The Tri-State district was apparently found in 1838, although the first major discovery was made in 1848. It produced $2 billion dollars worth of lead (3.7 million tons of concentrate) and zinc (22 million tons of concentrate) from 1880 to 1955. The ores are hosted in breccias of a Mississippian limestone that contains abundant chert. The ore deposits occur within an area of 100 by 30 miles.

Galena crystals occur to 25cm with cubes and octahedrons on a matrix of cream to pink saddle shaped dolomite crystals. The district also produced world class sphalerite and calcite crystals. Most of the mines were interconnected and it was possible to travel between the states of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma without ever seeing the surface. The mineral dealer most associated with the district was "Boodle" Lane, who was active from the 1920's to the early 1960's. He saved many tons of fine specimens from the smelters. He would sell 200 pound "oil drum" lots at 50 cents a pound. The mines were allowed to flood about 1972. One of my favorite specimens at the Smithsonian are a couple of galena cubes (~5cm) from the Fisher mine. On each corner there are perched 1 cm cubes.


11cm	© 2002 John H. Betts


7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Galena, Picher Field, Tri-State District, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA


12cm	© 2002 John H. Betts


4cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

Mid Continent Mine, Treece, Picher Field, Tri-State District, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA


6cm	© Rob Lavinsky


3cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

Viburnum No. 27 mine, Crawford Co., Missouri, USA


5 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Buick Mine, Bixby, Viburnum Trend District, Iron Co., Missouri, USA


Spinel twin 5cm	© Rob Lavinsky


9cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Joplin Field, Tri-State District, Jasper Co., Missouri, USA


7cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

Sweetwater Mine, Ellington, Viburnum Trend District, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA
Galena cubes occur to 30cm. on a limestone or chalcopyrite matrix. One large cube was found in 1971 that weighed a 1000kg (it was reduced to ore).


5cm	© 2001 John H. Betts


Tabular crystal 4cm	© Rob Lavinsky


9cm	© 2001 John H. Betts


Scepter 2cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Rossie, St Lawrence Co., New York, USA

Mining began in 1834 and the mining was finished in about 1840 (over 1625 tons of lead) with only desultory operations thereafter.

The main ore bodies were on 4 nearly vertical calcite-galena veins which cut Precambrian Grenville-series crystalline rocks. The veins varied in width from a few cm's to a meter, but averaged 2 feet in width in the mines.


10cm	©


16cm	©


3cm	©


10cm	©

Elmwood mine, Carthage, Central Tennessee Ba-F-Pb-Zn District, Smith Co., Tennessee, USA
Simple cubes were extremely rare, most galena specimens showed numerous offset crystals. Galena specimens from Elmwood are among the rarer specimens recovered from the mine.


6cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Pseudomorphs

Also known are pseudomorphs of 1cm calcite scalenohedra from Grube Friedrichssegen (near Koblenz).

Rohdenhaus Quarry, Rohdenhaus, Wülfrath, Niederberg area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany


After cerussite 4mm	© tho-thie@web.de

Kautenbach Mine, Bernkastel-Kues, Hunsrück Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany


After pyromorphite 10cm	©


After pyromorphite 7cm	© Kristalle and Crys


After pyromorphite 5cm	©


After pyromorphite 3cm	©

Traversella Mine, Traversella, Chiusella Valley, Canavese District, Torino Province, Piedmont, Italy


6mm	© G. Fraccaro

Wheal Hope, Perranzabuloe, St Agnes District, Cornwall, England, UK


After pyromorphite11cm	© Rob Lavinsky


After pyromorphite5cm	©

La Purísima Mine, Francisco Portillo, West Camp, Santa Eulalia District, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico


Anglesite after galena 6cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Ignacy-Hoym coal mine, Rybnik, Rybnik Coal Basin, Upper Silesia (Śląskie), Poland


Anglesite after galena 1.7cm	© Peter Haas

Blanchard Mine, Bingham, Hansonburg District, Socorro Co., New Mexico, USA
Galena crystals from here are often pseudomorphed by anglesite or cerussite.


Anglesite with linarite 2cm	© Antonio Borrelli


Anglesite with linarite 4cm	© Collectors Edge

Greenockite (22 replies)

Peter Haas — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:35:39 +0000

I've decided to write an article on greenockites. There are relatively few localities that need to be mentioned:

Scotland:
- Bishopton (TL), both the classic occurrence and the highway cuts
- Old Kilpatrick
- and another one or two quarries in the area which produced small greenockite crystals

Czech Republic:
- Crystalline sublimates from a burning coal seam

Germany:
- Kreimbach

If there is any other locality that produced greenockite crystals (Russia ?, Australia ?), please tell me.

pH

Best G Minerals - Welcome (no replies)

Rock Currier — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:06:24 +0000

In this forum we hope to create articles with pictures about all minerals beginning with the letter G. You are welcomed and encouraged to help create content for this and all the Best Mineral forums. You are encouraged to use the approximate format that has already been developed and exampled in the more extensively developed examples in the Best A Minerals forum. If you would like to take a crack at creating content for a particular mineral, please read over the suggestions and example in the sticky message at the top of the A minerals forum and then add it to this thread entry and I will work with you and walk you through any problems you may encounter. Ill also create a thread entry for the mineral you want to work on and help get you started. You will not be able to create new threads in this forum, unless you are approved as a moderator of the Best Minerals forum. If you have something you think is worth adding to the thread about a particular mineral, just make a thread entry about it, and Ill add it into the thread for that particular entry or at leas ask you for more information about it. There is a huge amount of work to do, so lets get started.

Ideally what we want to know about each significant mineral from each locality is:

1. What is the largest crystal of the mineral that the locality has produced?
2. What do the best specimens from this locality look like and where can one be seen?
3. Does the locality produce a variety of different kinds of specimens of this species, and what do the best of each type look like and how many of them were found etc.
4. What are the associated minerals found with this species and what is its geological setting?
5. How abundant are these specimens and when were they found? A type locality? In other words, how rare are they.
6. How do they compare to other specimens of the same mineral from other localities?
7. How much is it worth. This should probably be optional, but in cases where specimens are worth thousands of dollars we should probably say something of the value of these things.
8. What kind of care and feeding do these specimens require? Are they delicate, radioactive, unstable, color changeable etc.?
9. Are the specimens commonly faked, and if so, how to tell if they are?
10. Are there any interesting stories relating to the collecting of these specimens or their discovery as a new mineral?

Of course this is in reality impractical, but if we keep these questions in mind, we will do a lot better job when writing about them.