Darren Adams' Photo Gallery
097-3H5Quartz SiO2
Dimensions: 74 mm x 51 mm x 64 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 22 mm
Weight: 181 g
A 19th century quartz specimen from the Wherry mine, Penzance. Although this mine was known to have been destroyed in 1798 by a shipwreck, I have also read that the mine did reopen for a very brief period in the 1830's, making this specimen potentially over 180 years old (possible more). A real piece of Cornish mining history, and for the age the specimen in in really great condition, yes, there are some breakages to the terminations of edge crystals but the protected crystals in the main vug remain really almost perfect.
Ex. Donald Stockton (1929 - 2016) Collection, with his old label.
Ex. Sam Weller dealer stock, with his old label, denoting that this specimen is of 19th century origin.
TLQ-0MPGalena PbS
Dimensions: 83 mm x 50 mm x 27 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 11.2 mm
Weight: 228 g
A fantastic Galena specimen, likely collected in the late 1970's from the Richard Barstow find. This was photographed outside in full sunshine and the bright silver lustred crystals of eye-catching intergrown cubo-octahedral Galena looked brilliant in the sunshine. Damage wise there is some minor chipping, but overall good. Becoming extremely difficult to find good specimens from Silvermines, as they all tend to be in collections or museums.
MQA-261Fluorite CaF2
Dimensions: 91 mm x 35 mm x 51 mm
Weight: 183 g
LHS image: under white LED lighting / RHS image: under shortwave UV.
