Nicholas Rondilone's Photo Gallery

QK0-WQKPyrite FeS₂

Shangbao Mine, Leiyang Co., Hengyang, Hunan, China

Dimensions: 13.3 mm x 12.15 mm x 6.5 mm
Field of View: 35 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 6.35 mm
Weight: 1.8 g

Cluster of tiny, well-formed cubic pyrite crystals, showing a slight iridescence.

EK2-F9DChrysocolla Cu_2-xAl_x(H_2-xSi₂O₅)(OH)₄·nH₂O, x < 1 , Malachite Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂ , Garnet Group X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃ , Brucite Mg(OH)₂ , Periclase MgO

Old City Quarry, Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA

Dimensions: 63.63 mm x 46.3 mm x 21.65 mm
Field of View: 3 mm
Weight: 100 g

40X reflected light microphotograph of an interesting section of a substantial piece of garnet skarn, adorned with botryoidal chrysocolla and malachite on both sides, interspersed with periclase, and speckles of brucite after periclase throughout. 77 photographs focus stacked.

M4N-U52Albite (Var: Cleavelandite) Na(AlSi₃O₈)

Stak Nala, Haramosh Mts., Roundu District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Dimensions: 6 mm x 5 mm x 1.5 mm
Field of View: 3 mm

40x transmitted and reflected light microphotograph of a beautiful little cluster of water clear cleavelandite showing some colorful dispersion. 75 photos focus stacked. Child photo is 100x cross-polarized transmitted light.

HR0-TGFSpessartine Mn²⁺₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ , Quartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO₂ , Microcline K(AlSi₃O₈)

Wushan Spessartine Mine, Tongbei, Yunxiao Co., Zhangzhou, Fujian, China

Dimensions: 20.5 mm x 13.7 mm x 7.8 mm
Field of View: 28.0 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 4 mm
Weight: 1.7 g

Tiny bright orange/red manganese aluminum spessartine garnets and smokey quartz on a microcline matrix.

4E0-FL5Sphalerite ZnS , Arsenopyrite FeAsS , Chalcopyrite CuFeS₂ , Siderite FeCO₃ , Calcite CaCO₃ , Ferberite FeWO₄ , Fluorite CaF₂

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Dimensions: 26 mm x 21 mm x 16 mm
Field of View: 34 mm
Weight: 13 g

This specimen has a little bit of everything! Dark, metallic sphalerite tetrahedrons with well crystalized chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite, tan siderite blades along the bottom, black ferberite and orange calcite along the left, and the back side is almost completely covered in light purple fluorite cubes.

NJL-5Q0Pyromorphite Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl

Guilin, Guangxi, China

Dimensions: 17 mm x 9 mm x 9 mm
Field of View: 30.0 mm
Weight: 2.3 g

A tiny little cluster of bright green pyromorphite crystals.

H01-WFVEpidote (CaCa)(AlAlFe³⁺)O[Si₂O₇][SiO₄](OH)

Old City Quarry, Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA

Dimensions: 7.65 mm x 5.5 mm x 5.8 mm
Field of View: 3 mm
Weight: .4 g

40x transmitted light only microphotograph of the corner of a tiny, very dark green, gem quality translucent epidote crystal showing very strong pleochroism. 165 photos focus stacked.

641-2HQQuartz SiO₂ , Hedenbergite CaFe²⁺Si₂O₆

Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China

Dimensions: 34 mm x 21.6 mm x 18 mm
Field of View: 54.0 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 34 mm
Weight: 12 g

Small cluster of hedenbergite included quartz crystals.

UYP-4QYQuartz SiO₂ , Hematite Fe₂O₃ , Hedenbergite CaFe²⁺Si₂O₆

Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit, Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China

Dimensions: 20.85 mm x 7.3 mm x 9.2 mm
Field of View: 22.8 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 19.5 mm
Weight: .8 g

Tiny cluster of hedenbergite included quartz crystals peppered with sub-millimeter hematite discs.

New City Quarry Panorama

New City Quarry, Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA

View of the whole quarry from the entrance. Eight photo mosaic shot on March 26th, 2024.