Martyn Coles' Photo Gallery

HUU-19HSynchysite-(Ce) CaCe(CO₃)₂F

Gloddfa Ganol Quarry, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Dimensions: 30 mm x 11 mm x 15 mm
Field of View: 4 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 2 mm

Several pale rosettes of Synchysite-Ce (1-2 mm) with associated deep blue tabular Anatase crystals (~0.5mm) and Albite on a grey host rock.

HWN-8JWCrocoite PbCr⁶⁺O₄

Red Lead Mine, Dundas mineral field, Zeehan mining district, West Coast municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Dimensions: 44 mm x 25 mm x 26 mm
Field of View: 12.0 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 22.0 mm

A jumble of red needles of Crocoite typical for this location. Mostly incomplete crystals but a nice terminated crystal on the main display face.

TJL-L8NRoselite Ca₂Co(AsO₄)₂·2H₂O , Dolomite CaMg(CO₃)₂

Bou Azzer mining district, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

Dimensions: 36 mm x 29 mm x 17 mm

Deep pink bladed crystals of Roselite in a partial vug. These are mostly inter grown to generate a carpet of crystals, but some smaller vugs on the specimen have free standing clusters of crystals perched on rhombohedral Dolomite.

7XE-R9DGoethite α-Fe³⁺O(OH)

Filón Sur open pit, Tharsis Mines, Tharsis, Alosno, Huelva, Andalusia, Spain

Dimensions: 33 mm x 35 mm x 20 mm

Classic botryoidal Goethite with an iridescent sheen. The surface is highly reflective and shows the full span of colours from blue to green to red/gold.

HU4-658Cuprite Cu₂O , Chrysocolla Cu_2-xAl_x(H_2-xSi₂O₅)(OH)₄·nH₂O, x < 1

Mashamba West Mine, Sicomines copper-cobalt project, Mutshatsha, Lualaba, DR Congo

Dimensions: 34 mm x 23 mm x 13 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 7.5 mm

Well-formed, deep red octahedral Cuprite crystals on an amorphous pale green Chrysocolla matrix. The Cuprite crystals are intergrown and the largest one has contacts at the rear.

TG2-HV1Azurite Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂

Mineral Hill field, Condobolin district, Kennedy Co., New South Wales, Australia

Dimensions: 25 mm x 17 mm x 24 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 13.0 mm

Sharp prismatic crystals of Azurite on matrix, with minor Malachite. The main crystal has several smaller thinner blades growing out from the main face. On the reverse are several well formed, translucent blue tabular crystals.

340-VKDMolybdenite MoS₂

Cleator area, Cleator, Black Canyon Mining District, Wickenburg Mountains, Yavapai County, Arizona, USA

Dimensions: 35 mm x 21 mm x 27 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 11.5 mm

Two flattened hexagonal crystals of Molybdenite on milky Quartz matrix.

CQY-795Legrandite Zn₂(AsO₄)(OH)·H₂O

Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mapimí Municipality, Durango, Mexico

Dimensions: 32 mm x 24 mm x 26 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 14.0 mm

Radiating sprays of bright yellow Legrandite on earthy red matrix. The larger crystals are mainly inter-grown and span the cavity but some nice terminations are present and the smaller sprays are complete.

MDW-JYXFluorapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃F

Agoudim, Midelt Cercle, Midelt Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

Dimensions: 28 mm x 24 mm x 34 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 12.0 mm

Several glassy, pale yellow Apatite crystals on matrix. Most crystals show complete well formed terminations and a 12.0 mm doubly terminated crystal sits prominently on the display face of the specimen.

Originally sold as from Imilchil, but according to info on Mindat, more likely from Agoudim and sold in the markets at Imichil...?

X1U-WNPAnatase TiO₂ , Quartz SiO₂

La Lauzière massif, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Dimensions: 15 mm x 20 mm x 9 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 5.0 mm

A terminated bi-pyramidal crystal of Anatase perches on a small fragment of Quartz matrix. The crystal is very dark with reflective faces that are striated parallel to the equatorial plane