Scott LaBorde's Photo Gallery

9D1-G43Quartz SiO₂

Coopers Ridge, Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, USA

Dimensions: 7.5 cm x 5 cm x 3.5 cm
Largest Crystal Size: 4 cm

Beautiful hematite phantom crystals. Digging these crystals from the pocket was exhilarating to say the least. You can see, and read more about this find on RockHoundLounge here: http://www.rockhoundlounge.com/aug9_2009.shtml

K0Y-TTVFluorite CaF₂ , Quartz SiO₂

Glendon Mining District, Moore County, North Carolina, USA

Dimensions: 10 mm x 5 mm x 5 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 5 mm

Collected on a previous field trip, this was found in a vug in the middle of a large quartz vein that ran through a section of the mine.

UMX-5HMQuartz SiO₂ , Mica Group

Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, USA

Dimensions: 2.5 cm x 2 cm x 1.5 cm

Slight smoky colored quartz crystal on a mica crystal base. There is a tiny inclusion of what I believe to be tourmaline floating in the base of the quartz crystal near the mica. This specimen was found in a subdivision where alpine-type fissures were discovered during the development of several properties in the subdivision. You can find more examples posted here:
http://www.rockhoundlounge.com/cgi-bin/yabb252/YaBB.pl?num=1311733803

49V-H80Pyrite FeS₂

Martin Marietta Materials Cement quarry, Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas, USA

Dimensions: 7.5 cm x 7 cm x 6 cm

Formerly in "The Adams Collection", I couldn't leave without this one when I saw it. Now, in the grateful hands of the RockHoundLounge collection.

Cannon 70D, Cannon EFS 60mm macro lens, HeliconFocus 6.2.0 software for focus stacking.
F3.5, exposure 1/15

This image was a composite of 12 images. I used what I can only describe as safe cracking skills to adjust the depth of field by near imperceptible amounts twisting the lens with my hand. If you were wondering, I don't know how to crack safes ;). I probably should get a rail system, but I'll probably continue to challenge myself without one for now at least.

92J-G3JQuartz SiO₂

Coopers Ridge, Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, USA

3cm. Specular hematite phantoms glitter inside this cluster of quartz. Although more have been found like this at this location, they are very rare.

JPG-TTAQuartz SiO₂

Coopers Ridge, Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, USA

The largest crystals on this specimen at 5cm might be less remarkable without the specular hamatite phantoms within.

40D-H7FQuartz SiO₂ , Chlorite Group

Coopers Ridge, Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, USA

This 2.5 cm crystal is one of a few from this location that I found with a beautiful chlorite phantom inside. This one in particular looks like a tree inside the crystal.

HGC-WC9Quartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO₂

Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, USA

Dimensions: 5 cm x 2.5 cm x 2 cm

Found at a construction site for a housing development, this Tessin habit smoky quartz crystal was of the best quality I recovered from this location.

5 x 2.5 x 2 cm

G0J-AXUQuartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO₂

Cary, Wake County, North Carolina, USA

7 x 3 cm

This tessin habit smoky crystal was found at a construction site for a housing developement in Cary, NC. Many beautiful crystals such as this one were found there before being covered by houses and asphalt.