Vik Vanrusselt's Photo Gallery

MJP-Q0RPectolite NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH)

Rauschermühle Quarry, Niederkirchen, Otterbach-Otterberg, Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Dimensions: 2.6 cm x 1.8 cm

Pale brownish fibrous Pectolite.

Acquired from Frank Raquet on Catawiki on 18 August 2023.

QAW-P5LMuscovite (Var: Gilbertite) KAl₂(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂ , Albite Na(AlSi₃O₈)

Epprechtstein, Kirchenlamitz, Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Dimensions: 2.3 cm x 2.0 cm

Brownish green compact Gilbertite associated with white, blocky Albite crystals.

Locality on label: Epprechtstein, Fichtelgeb., CSSR.

The label possibly dates to the period from 1948 to 23 April 1990, during which time the former country of Czechoslovakia adopted the official name "Czechoslovak Socialist Republic".

This is confirmed by the fact that the label is dated "7.10.84", which could mean that the specimen was collected on 7 October 1984.

Acquired from Mark Koorn on Marktplaats.nl on 21 February 2024.

ED2-90CChlorite Group

Mussa Alp, Balme, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy

Field of View: 11 mm

Dark green "worm-like" aggregates of "Chlorite group" platelets on unidentified matrix.

Locality on label: Musa (sic) Alp, Italy.

ID on label: "Helminth". "Helminth" is an old (mainly German-language) name for "a chlorite-group mineral forming worm-like columns". The word comes from ancient Greek ἕλμινς (hélmins, “intestinal worm”) and today is still used in English in the word "helminthology", i.e. "the study of (parasitic) worms (helminths)".

Acquired from Hendrik Zijlstra at the monthly MKA meeting on 8 March 2024.

PL1-UEYAndradite Ca₃Fe³⁺₂(SiO₄)₃

Harstigen Mine, Pajsberg, Persberg ore district, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden

Field of View: 10 mm

Orange Andradite crystals on unidentified matrix.

ID on label: Rothoffite.

Around 1815 Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848) named a mineral (that would later turn out to be a manganese-bearing andradite) "Rothoffite" in honour of Emanuel Rothoff (1788-1832), Swedish mineralogist and metallurgist.

Acquired from Hendrik Zijlstra at the monthly MKA meeting on 8 March 2024.

NF2-7WFMerwinite Ca₃Mg(SiO₄)₂

Crestmore quarries, Crestmore, Jurupa Valley, Riverside County, California, USA

Dimensions: 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm

Greyish green massive Merwinite.

Acquired from Pierre Rosseel at the ACAM IMRA mineral show in Antwerp, Belgium on 24 February 2024.

J44-GHMQuartz (Var: Blue Quartz) SiO₂

Los Tenderos quarry, Altura, Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain

Dimensions: 1.7 cm x 1.5 cm

Blue Quartz crystal showing interesting surface features.

Acquired from André Heyninck at the mineral show in Hannut, Belgium on 3 March 2024.

VUG-M0NGreenalite (Fe²⁺,Fe³⁺)_2-3Si₂O₅(OH)₄

San Valentín Mine, La Unión, Murcia, Spain

Dimensions: 1.6 cm x 1.5 cm

Olive-green greenalite on unidentified matrix.
Locality on label: Corta San Valentin, La Union, Murcia, Spain.

Acquired from André Heyninck at the mineral show in Hannut, Belgium on 3 March 2024.

7JU-RH9Dozyite Mg₇Al₂(Al₂Si₄O₁₅)(OH)₁₂ , Antigorite Mg₃(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄

Wood's Chrome Mine, Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA

Dimensions: 1.0 cm x 1.0 cm

Small fragment of purple Dozyite intermixed with Antigorite and probably a few other unidentified species.

Acquired from André Heyninck at the mineral show in Hannut, Belgium on 3 March 2024.

8PX-6YYCleusonite (Pb,Sr)(U⁴⁺,U⁶⁺)(Fe²⁺,Zn)₂(Ti,Fe²⁺,Fe³⁺)₁₈(O,OH)₃₈ , Rutile TiO₂

Fibbia, Fontana, Airolo, Leventina, Ticino, Switzerland

Field of View: 3.0 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 1.0 mm

Black Cleusonite crystal showing iridescence on one of the faces, associated with golden yellow acicular Rutile crystals.

Acquired from Paul De Bondt at the mineral show in Hannut, Belgium on 3 March 2024.

P3Q-D03Calciosamarskite (Ca,U⁴⁺)Fe³⁺(Nb,Ta,Ti)₂O₈

Hidden Valley Claims, McKinley Mountain Area, Custer County, Colorado, USA

Dimensions: 1.5 cm x 1.0 cm

Black glassy Calciosamarskite fragment.

Acquired from Paul De Bondt at the mineral show in Hannut, Belgium on 3 March 2024.