Pseudomorphs & Replacements N to P

Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements C. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements Quartz. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.


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?





Natrolite after Calcite
Canada
Nova Scotia, Cumberland Co., Bay of Fundy, Parrsboro, Wasson Bluff (Wasson's Bluff)




Natrolite after Cancrinite?
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Lajemmerais RCM, Varennes & St-Amable, Saint-Amable sill, Demix-Varennes quarry




Natrolite after Serandite etc
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Natrolite after Sodalite?
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Lajemmerais RCM, Varennes & St-Amable, Saint-Amable sill, Demix-Varennes quarry

Natrolite after Sodelite? FOV 3.7mm wide

Neotocite after Siderite?
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Newberyie after Struverite
USA
California, Mono Co., Mono Lake, Paoha Island




Organovaite-Mn after Vuonnemite
Russia
Northern Region, Murmanskaja Oblast', Kola Peninsula, Lovozero Massif, Karnasurt Mt.




Orthoclase after Leucite
Turkey
Central Anatolia Region, Kirsehir Province, Kamam-Kalehövük

Orthoclase after Leucite 7.2cm wide	© DSW

Orthoclase after Scapolite
Canada
Ontario, Renfrew Co., Greater Madawaska Township, Griffith, Khartum, Spain Mine




Oxyplumboroméite after Bournonite
Austria
Carinthia, Friesach - Hüttenberg area, Hüttenberg, Hüttenberger Erzberg




Oxyplumboromeite after Bournonite
Austria
Carinthia, Lavant valley, Wolfsberg, St Gertraud, Wölch




Oxyplumboroméit after Bournonite
France
Languedoc-Roussillon, Hérault, Le Bosc, Usclas-du-Bosc Quarry (Loiras Quarry)




Parisite after Bastnäsite
Pakistan
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Khyber Agency, Tor Ghar

Same as left	© Jasun McAvoy

Pectolite after Anhydrite with Apophyllite
USA
New Jersey, Somerset Co., Bernards Township, Millington Quarry (Morris County Crushed Stone Co. Quarry; Tilcon Quarry)

Back side of left	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Pectolite after Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Essex Co., West Orange, Orange Quarry Co. Quarry (Eagle Rock Quarry)




Perite after Aikinite on Quartz
USA
Nevada, Esmeralda Co., Tule Canyon District




Pharmacosiderite after cobaltite
Canada
Ontario, Sudbury District, Foster Township, Brazil Lake Occurrence (Elizabeth Lake Mine; Espanola)

Pharmacosiderite @ cobaltite, 1.7cm	© Maggie Wilson

Pharmacosiderite @ cobaltite, 2.7cm	© Maggie Wilson

The main mineral of interest at this locality is cobaltite and pseudomorphs thereof. The cobaltite is found most commonly in cubic shaped crystals ( up to 3.0 cm) and more rarely as cubo-pyritohedral shaped crystals (up to 1.5cm) in a zone at the contact between a large quartz vein and gabbro host rock. The quartz vein is up to 15m wide has a vertical dip and strikes North.
The contact zone varies in width and consists of mainly grey coarse grained iron rich dolomite with lesser amounts of actinolite, fine grained calcite, talc (fine to coarse grained), pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite and quartz. Cobaltite occurs mainly in the grey dolomite but is also found abundantly in a mixture of coarse actinolite and fine grained calcite and occasionally in massive pyrrhotite, and rarely in quartz.
Sometime prior to 1957 a 27m long adit was driven along the vein and a raise put up to surface. The raise starts about 20m from the entrance of the adit and breaks through at surface in the bottom of a trench. The orientation of the raise is unknown and is currently filled with debris from the trench.
In 1983 I staked this property with the intention of mining it for mineral specimens. However after some drilling and blasting in the most promising area I concluded that the cost of bringing the property to lease would far exceed any possible returns from specimen mining. As a consequence I was left with an almost full case of dynamite and no place to store it. I therefore loaded it all into the bottom of the trench next to where the raise was and blew it all up. The result of this was the exposure of an alteration zone which contained cobaltite crystals in various degrees of alteration from completely altered to only altered on the surface.
There are basically three types of pseudomorphs, those altered to pharmacosiderite (XRD confirmed by me), ones altered to scorodite and ones that are altered to a mixture of both. The more complete the alteration the higher the percentage of scorodite. Those that are completely altered consist of a pink sponge like mass of cobalt rich scorodite ( analyzed by Pavel M.Kartashov).
Surprisingly erythrite is very rare and occurs only as sparse needles (to 2mm) which vary in color from pink to white. The rarity of erythrite is probably due to the fact that the cobaltite is low in cobalt and high in iron. Analysis by Pavel M. Kartashov showed a composition for the cobaltite of (Co0.49Fe0.26Ni0.25)AsS .
At the time of discovery of the pseudomorphs, I thought the pink ones where erythrite and traded some in 1985 to Denis Belsher in Colorado along with several hundred other cobaltite pseudomorphs. As a result there may still be some scorodite pseudos out there mislabelled as being erythrite pseudos. As far as rarity goes there are about 300 pharmacosiderite containing pseudos for every pure scorodite pseudo and only the pure scorodite pseudos are pink inside, the others vary in color from greenish-brown to brown to yellow.
Unfortunately the cobaltite crystals formed almost at the same time as the dolomite and as a result those that formed in the dolomite do not have smooth faces but always have impressions of the enclosing dolomite on their faces. Only crystals that formed in the other minerals have smooth faces.
There was also some post formational faulting which fractured most of the larger crystals making complete crystals over 1cm a rare find. Also most of the larger crystals show fractures healed by calcite which break easily when trying to expose them and fall apart when etched out with acid. Because of all the natural damage to the crystals the trick to producing “good” specimens is to find a crystal in matrix and only expose some of it leaving the impression that the crystal is complete and undamaged. Unfortunately the tendency is to overexpose the crystal resulting in a not so attractive specimen with damage.
[Reiner Mielke 2013]


Phlogopite after hornblende
Canada
Ontario, Hastings Co., Bancroft District, Bancroft, Highway 62 Road Cut

Phlogopite @ hornblende 3cm tall	© John H. Betts

Phosphohedyphane after Leadhillite?
UK
Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway (Dumfries-shire), Wanlockhead, Whytes Cleuch




Phosphosiderite & Hureaulite after Lithiophilite? on Triphylite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Conselheiro Pena, Cigana claim (Jocão claim)




pinite? after Andalusite
Austria
Tyrol, North Tyrol, Sellrain valley, Lüsens valley (Lisens valley; Lüsens alp; Lisens alp)

pinite? after Andalusite 10cm wide	©

pinite after Corderite
France
Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme, Manzat




pinite after Corderite
Sweden
Närke, Askersund, Västerby




pinite after Corderite
USA
New Hampshire, Cheshire Co., Richmond, Richmond Soapstone Quarry (Harris Quarry)




Plancheite after Calcite on Dioptase
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Central area, Shinkolobwe, Tantara Mine

close up of left	© Rob Lavinsky

Plumbogummite after Mimetite
China
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin Prefecture, Yangshuo Co., Yangshuo Mine

Plumbogummite after Mimetite, close up	© Rob Lavinsky

Plumbogummite after Mimetite/Pyromorphite
France
Auvergne, Allier, Ébreuil, Échassières, Les Montmins Mine (Ste Barbe vein)




Plumbogummite after Mimetite
UK
England, Cornwall, Mount's Bay District, St Hilary, Penberthy Croft Mine (Wheal Fancy)




Plumbogummite after Pyromorphite
Australia
Tasmania, Zeehan district, Zeehan, Sylvester mine




Powellite after Molybdenite
Chile
Atacama Region, Chañaral Province, Inca de Oro, Jardinera No. 1 Mine

Powellite @ Molybdenite with Szenicsite 3.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Powellite after Molybenite
USA
Maine, York Co., Sanford, Webster vesuvianite prospect), Webster prospects (Sanford vesuvianite locality; Goodall Farm prospect




Powellite after Molybdenite
USA
New Hampshire, Grafton Co., Lyme, Holts Ledge




Prehnite after Analcime
Italy
Tuscany, Lucca Province, Garfagnana, San Romano Garfagnana, Petrognano quarry




Prehnite after Anhydrite?
Mali
Kayes Region, Bafoulabé Circle, Bendoukou (Benduko), Djouga (Jjouga)

Prehnite after Anhydrite? 13.4cm tall	©

Prehnite after Calcite
India
Maharashtra, Aurangabad District




Prehnite after Calcite
South Africa
Northern Cape Province, Calvinia, Zoetwater (Soetwater)




Prehnite after Laumontite
India
Maharashtra, Mumbai District (Bombay District), Mumbai (Bombay), Ward 38, Malad

Prehnite after Laumontite 23.6cm wide	© Lavinsky

Prehnite after Laumontite with Apophyllite ~4.5cm	©

Prehnite @ Laumontite 11cm wide	© G. van der Veldt

.

Prehnite after Laumontite 19.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Prehnite after Laumontite?
Pakistan
Balochistan (Baluchistan)

Prehnite after Laumontite? 15.2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Prehnite after Laumontite
UK
Scotland, North West Highlands (Inverness-shire), Isle of Skye, Soay Sound, Sgurr nan Cearcall




Prehnite after Anhydrite?
USA
Connecticut, Hartford Co., East Granby, Roncari quarry (Tilcon quarry)




Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
Massachusetts, Franklin Co., Northfield, Lane Quarry




Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Lower New Street quarry

Prehnite after Anhydrite ~8cm wide	©

Prehnite after Anhydrite 12.5cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite after Anhydrite 15cm wide	© EAS 2007

Prehnite after Anhydrite 10cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite after Anhydrite 4cm tall	©

Prehnite after Anhydrite ~8cm wide	©

Prehnite after Anhydrite ~7cm tall	©

Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Upper New Street Quarry (Burger's Quarry)

Prehnite after Anhydrite 3.7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Prehnite @ Anhydrite & Laumontite 10 cm	© EAS 2007

Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Prospect Park, Prospect Park Quarry (Sowerbutt Quarry; Vandermade Quarry; Warren Brothers Quarry)

Prehnite @ Anhydrite 11.4cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite @ Anhydrite ~6cm tall	©

Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., West Paterson, McBride Ave. & Browertown Rd. Pumping Station

Prehnite after Anhydrite 6.8cm tall	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite @ Anhydrite 5.3cm tall	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite after Anhydrite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., West Paterson, Union Building and Construction Quarry (UBC Quarry; Tilcon Quarry)




Prehnite after Glauberite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Prospect Park, Prospect Park Quarry (Sowerbutt Quarry; Vandermade Quarry; Warren Brothers Quarry)




Prehnite after Glauberite
USA
New Jersey, Somerset Co., Watchung, Fanwood Quarry (Fanwood Stone Crushing and Quarry Co. Quarry; Fanwood Crushed Stone Co. Quarry; Scotch Plains Quarry; Weldon Quarry

Prehnite @ Glauberite 14.3cm	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite after Glauberite 10.3cm tall	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Prehnite @ Glauberite 8.6cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

.

Prehnite @ Glauberite w calcite 12.5cm	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Pseudomalachite after Malachite
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Westerwald, Linz am Rhein, Obererl (Ehl)




Psilomelane after Pyrolusite
UK
England, Cornwall, St Austell District, Lostwithiel, Restormel Royal Iron Mine (Trinity Mine)




Pyrite after Ammonite
France
Midi-Pyrénées, Aveyron, Cornus, Le Clapier




Pyrite after Ammonite
Germany
Bavaria, Franconia, Unterstürmig, Unterstürmig clay pit




Pyrite after Anhydrite?
USA
Missouri, Reynolds Co., Viburnum Trend District, Ellington, Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine; Frank R. Milliken; Blair Creek; Ozark Lead Company Mine; Adair Creek; Logan Creek)

Pyrite after Anhydrite? flip side	© Weinrich

Pyrite after Baryte
US
England, Devon, Tavistock District, Whitchurch, Buckland Monachorum, Virtuous Lady Mine




Pyrite after Chalcopyrite & Quartz
China
Hubei Province, Huangshi Prefecture, Daye Co., Edong Mining District, Fengjiashan Mine (Daye Copper mine)




Pyrite after Enargite
Peru
La Libertad Department, Santiago de Chuco Province, Quiruvilca District, Quiruvilca Mine (La Libertad Mine; ASARCO Mine)


These make very pretty specimens and are quite rare. I think it must have been a one pocket find. I have never seen more than about a dozen of them.
[Rock Currier 2011]



Pyrite after Fluorite on Quartz
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk (Dalnegorsk; Tetyukhe; Tjetjuche; Tetjuche), Kavalerovo Mining District




Pyrite after fossil ammonite
Russia
North-Western Region, Ryazanskaya Oblast', Mikhailov, Gravel Quarry

3.5 cm Pyrite @ ammonite	© Marco Barsanti

back side of left	© Christian Bracke

Pyrite after Fossil shell
Ohio
Lucas Co., Sylvania, France Stone Co. North quarry (Medusa Portland Cement Co. quarry)

Pyrite after Fossil shell 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Sylvania is a famous and prolific locality for pyritized brachiopods and has produced thousands of good specimens. I'm surprised we don't have more images of these in our database.


Pyrite after Galena
USA
Missouri, Reynolds Co., Viburnum Trend District, Ellington, Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine; Frank R. Milliken; Blair Creek; Ozark Lead Company Mine; Adair Creek; Logan Creek)




Pyrite after Marcasite
Canada
Nunavut Territory, Baffin Island, Nanisivik, Nanisivik Mine

Pyrite @ Marcasite 6cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

.

Pyrite after Marcasite 15cm wide	© Cindy Hasler

Pyrite after Marcasite
USA
Ohio, Ross Co.




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite
Germany
Saxony, Erzgebirge, Freiberg District, Freiberg




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite and others
Kosovo
Kosovska Mitrovica, Trepca valley, Trepca complex, Stari Trg Mine




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Santa Eulalia District

Pyrite after Pyrrhotite on Arsenopyrite ~7.5cm wide	©

Pyrite after Pyrrhotite
Peru
Huánuco Department, Dos de Mayo Province, Huallanca District, Huanzala Mine




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite
Romania
Maramures Co., Baia Mare (Nagybánya), Chiuzbaia (Kisbánya), Herja Mine




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite & Sphalerite
Mexico
Zacatecas, Mun. de Mazapil, Noche Buena, Noche Buena Mine




Pyrite after Pyrrhotite & Arsenopyrite
Peru
Huánuco Department, Dos de Mayo Province, Huallanca District, Huanzala Mine




Pyrite and Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region (Cumberland), North Pennines, Alston Moor District, Nenthead, Smallcleugh Mine




Prehnite after ?
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Habach valley




Pyrite after ?
USA
Illinois, Randolph Co., Sparta




Pyrolusite after Calcite
Germany
Thuringia, Harz Mts, Nordhausen, Ilfeld




Pyrolusite var. polianite after Manganite
Germany
Lower Saxony, Peine, Emilie Mine (Bülten-Adenstedt Mine)




Pyrolusite after Manganite
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co.




Pyrolusite after Serandite with Leucophanite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Pyromorphite after Cerussite
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Lahn valley, Bad Ems District, Frücht, Friedrichssegen Mine




Pyromorphite after Galena
Germany
Bavaria, Upper Palatinate, Schwandorf, Schwarzenfeld, Krandorf




Pyromorphite after Galena
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Bad Bergzabern, Bobenthal, Johanna Mine




Pyrophyllite after Andalusite
USA
North Carolina, Randolph Co., Staley, Staley Mine (Gerhardt Mine)





Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements C. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements Quartz. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.

Images last selected December 2010 sorting on "after".

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.



Edited 18 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2013 01:34AM by Rock Currier.

Hi Rock, I have Orthoclase after Scapolite from Kragero, Norway, and it is exactly the same as the one from Canada.

Spencer.

Hi Rock,

The Herja Mine in Romania produced some nice pseudomorphs of pyrite after pyrrhotite. Here is an example if you want to include it in this section of pseudomorphs. It has been uploaded to the Mindat gallery.

Michael,

Added!

Iv'e seen better, but not in Mindat's database and your specimen is good enough. Thanks

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Rock,

I uploaded this today:


It might by relevant for this article. I've included some information on the occurance in the photo caption.



Olav

Pinite= Muscovite after cordierite

Milo

You forgot to include these:[www.mindat.org]

Reiner,
You are right, those snuck past me. Thanks for bringing them to my attention. I put all three in the article. Neat specimens. I never saw one for sale. Did you collect them? How many were found?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

See photo 531138 that I uploaded today of a group of Feldspar crystals pseudomorph after Marialite. John S.

John,
Those are interesting and now in the article. Can you tell us something about the occurrence?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.