Ian Nicastro's Photo Gallery
F8T-HVYTitanite CaTi(SiO4)O , Granodiorite
Field of View: 82 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 13 mm
Three distinct titanite crystals observed weathering out of an outcrop of granodiorite (center of photo), I would estimate the largest crystal pictured is around 13mm across. The titanite crystals I observed in this area were opaque brownish or less commonly greenish and tended to occur in small clusters of a few crystals of varying size. Most of these titanite crystals were crudely shaped, had numerous fractures visible and were incomplete/broken. Titanite crystals from this area have been previously reported as containing traces of uranium and/or thorium, and did register as weakly radioactive on the Geiger counter I brought with me into the field; interestingly, the greenish crystals gave more signal than the brownish crystals. These crystals were left as I am unsure of the collecting status of this area, but I imagine visitors are forbidden to collect, as the land appeared to belong to the County of Riverside or an associated non-profit conservation organization.
PWQ-VKQTitanite CaTi(SiO4)O , Hornblende Root Name Group ◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 , Granodiorite
Dimensions: 26 mm x 23 mm x 17 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 19 mm
This is the largest single titanite crystal I observed while exploring this area, and was found weathering out of a boulder of granodiorite that had tumbled down from the steep foothills above. This photo was taken right above where the crystal was found. All of the titanite crystals I observed in this area were opaque and crudely shaped; most were this brownish color, but a few were slightly more greenish. The crystals were delicate and full of fractures, with most specimens being much smaller than the one depicted and incomplete. Titanite crystals from this area have been previously reported as containing traces of uranium and/or thorium, and did register as weakly radioactive on the Geiger counter I brought with me into the field; interestingly, the greenish crystals gave more signal than the brownish crystals. I am unsure of the collecting status of this area, but I imagine visitors are forbidden to collect as the land appeared to belong to the County of Riverside or an associated non-profit conservation organization; this crystal was left where it was found.
Boulder filled ravine
This view shows the general scenery of this area, but does not feature an area that was particularly more enriched in titanite compared to other areas. The Mirage Trails system crosses steep foothills that contain small discrete outcrops as well as ravines containing displaced boulders of weathered granodiorite that contain small greenish and brownish opaque crystals of titanite. These titanite crystals have been previously reported to contain traces of uranium and/or thorium, and did register as being weakly radioactive on the Geiger counter I brought with me into the field. The crystals are thin and very delicate and tend to not remain fully intact as the granodiorite breaks apart from weathering. I am unsure of the collecting status of this area, but I imagine visitors are forbidden to collect as the land appeared to belong to the County of Riverside or an associated non-profit conservation organization.
9RN-RQPBeryl Be3Al2(Si6O18) , Fluorite CaF2
Field of View: 2 mm
A transparent prismatic crystal of beryl within a specimen of purple fluorite from Birch Creek. This specimen was collected by Chris Lehmann of Lehmann Minerals (Benton, California), and one face of the fluorite crystal was polished to allow for microscopy. This image was captured on a Zeiss Imager A1 microscope using transmitted light. All of the fluorite specimens I have handled from this deposit were collected by either Chris Lehmann or John Seibel (Tehachapi, California), and consisted of mostly delicate plates of small cubes (I would estimate up to around 5mm across for each cube) and occasionally loose crystals of up to 15mm in size; the specimens varied from a very pale purple to a more moderate purple, and often had significant colorless zones. The associated beryl crystals were very small transparent pale blue needles perched on or within the purple fluorite. An additional inclusion image from this same polished crystal was featured in GIA's Gems & Gemology, Spring 2018: https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2018-microworld-beryl-crystal-fluorite
UC5-T4ECorundum (Var: Sapphire) Al2O3 , Corundum Al2O3
Dimensions: 23 mm x 14 mm x 13 mm
The sapphire deposits of Padar in Kashmir have become legendary for producing velvety cornflower blue crystals that remain some of the most sought after sapphires in the world. These deposits are unusual because the sapphire crystals formed in pegmatite dikes, while almost every other economically important sapphire deposit in the world is of non-pegmatitic origin (i.e. deposits in schist, gneiss, etc). The sapphire-bearing pegmatite dikes in Padar were deposited within a mix of gneiss & marble, the latter of which contains lenses of actinolite-tremolite; which is where the most productive pegmatite dikes were reportedly situated. The sapphires recovered from these dikes were found within masses of porous white feldspar and were associated with black tourmaline, green euclase, kyanite and small garnets. Sapphire specimens from Kashmir tend to have exteriors that appear frosted or lightly 'etched' and often have a white clay-like residue in cracks along the exterior, which are features that are both visible in this specimen. Sapphire was first discovered at this deposit sometime between 1879 and 1881. By 1887 it was reported that production began to dwindle and mining efforts switched to focus on the placer deposits located on the valley floor below the original hard rock deposit (which became known as the 'Old Mine'). Most of the large gem sapphires produced from Padar were apparently mined before 1908, as production since that time has been sporadic and of mostly poor quality. It's worth noting there were small periods of successful mining during the 1920s & 1940s by lease holders in an area known as the 'New Mines,' located a few hundred meters from the Old Mine. I assume that this specimen was collected from the New Mines area, and was acquired from Rick Kennedy of Earth's Treasures.
HY3-2VHCorundum Al2O3 , Corundum (Var: Ruby) Al2O3
Dimensions: 47 mm x 21 mm x 17 mm
A magenta corundum exhibiting bluish-purple patches, with associated phlogopite mica, from the Chumar Mines. This photo was taken with permission in 2020, in the room of Himalayan Rock, Mineral and Handicraft at the Arizona Mineral Show at the HTCC in Tucson, Arizona. This deposit was discovered in 1981 by local goat herders, and several American mineral collectors were involved with the mining efforts at this remote location in the mid 1980s; including F. John Barlow, Allan Bassett and Charles Key, who teamed up with Mache Manandhar of Nepal to work the deposit. The Chumar Mines and the nearby Ruyil Mine have produced only a very limited amount of ruby specimens, and even less facet rough as the high altitude and harsh winters make these deposits hard to mine.
6TR-54AHelvine Be3Mn2+4(SiO4)3S
Dimensions: 18 mm x 17 mm x 19 mm
This specimen is on public display in the collection of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (California). In 1999, property owner Brian Chuchua along with San Diego County based mineral collectors Blue Sheppard (Pala), Jeffery Patterson (La Mesa), and Jim Means (Alpine) collected helvine crystals from a weathered zone along the upper portion of the Clark Mine pegmatite dike. Dark brown crystals of up to 2cm in size were reported, and many exhibited heavy manganese oxide staining. In a personal communication, Jim Means described observing up to two dozen crystals extracted from this find, while a published report approximated that a couple hundred specimens were obtained in all. Only a few years after this find, ownership of the the land that both the Clark Mine and the adjacent Victor Mine are located on was transferred to members of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, and trespassing/collecting is now strictly forbidden and heavily enforced.
4E2-6RANephrite, Ferro-actinolite-Tremolite Series, Jade
Dimensions: 111 mm x 47 mm x 49 mm
A semi-polished specimen of opaque 'blue' Vonsen Ranch nephrite jade. This piece was photographed with permission at the Miner's Co-op Show in Tucson, Arizona, in 2020, where it was on display in the booth of Charles E. ONeal (who often goes by the nickname Charley 'Feldspar'). Charley has worked with multiple jade deposit owners in northern California in the past, and mentioned that he collected this specimen himself with permission from the property owner (please note that this deposit is privately owned and not open to the public). Opaque bluish nephrite jade was first discovered at this deposit by ranch owner and mineral collector Magnus Vonsen around 1949 or 1950, and Vonsen noted that he had at first assumed this material was just serpentine. Vonsen recruited the help of Charles W. Chesteman, an associate mining geologist from the California Division of Mines in San Francisco, who wrote up the find in a California Division of Mines Special Report in 1951, and the find was also announced on the front page of the local Petaluma Argus-Courier newspaper on March 24th, 1951. Bluish nephrite jade is rather rare and typically only found at this deposit or from mines in Guatemala.
VRJ-AE5Microcline (Var: Amazonite) K(AlSi3O8) , Microcline K(AlSi3O8) , Quartz SiO2
Dimensions: 131 mm x 109 mm x 113 mm
A blocky crystal of pale green amazonite with a crudely shaped smoky quartz from the Minh Tien Mine. The amazonite displays areas of raised perthitic texturing that yield an etched-like appearance. This specimen was labeled as 'plumbian orthoclase' when I acquired it from Jeffrey Patterson PhD, a retired geologist, who had previously visited Luc Yen. There are some small areas near the termination of this feldspar that are semi-transparent, but are not readily visible in this image (due to white overgrowth on the surface). This is the largest euhedral specimen of amazonite that I have seen from Vietnam.
JG4-7UNTopaz Al2(SiO4)(F,OH)2
Dimensions: 117 mm x 63 mm x 72 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 69 mm
Multiple crystals of blue Topaz on a feldspar matrix from the Zapot Mine. This specimen is on public display in the collection of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (California). Please note that this mine is under active claim.
