Matthew Stanley's Photo Gallery

WDY-1RUMalachite Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂ , Gypsum (Var: Selenite) CaSO₄·2H₂O , Goethite α-Fe³⁺O(OH)

Morning Star Mine [1], Estelle Mine, Cerro Gordo, Cerro Gordo Mining District, Inyo Mts, Inyo County, California, USA

Dimensions: 34 mm x 22 mm x 20 mm
Weight: 4 g

Acicular sprays of emerald green malachite on a dark goethite matrix. A lustrous coating of gypsum (var: selenite) covers some of the malachite. Mined by Jeff Lines in 2008, this piece came out of the Second Chance Pocket.

61W-DH6Malachite Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂ , Aurichalcite (Zn,Cu)₅(CO₃)₂(OH)₆

Morning Star Mine [1], Estelle Mine, Cerro Gordo, Cerro Gordo Mining District, Inyo Mts, Inyo County, California, USA

Dimensions: 53 mm x 50 mm x 31 mm
Weight: 59 g

Acicular, hemispheric sprays of dark green malachite contrast nicely against the soft blue-green, acicular tufts of aurichalcite and the brick red matrix. Mined by Jeff Lines in 2008, this piece came out of the Second Chance Pocket.

FNU-Q6YGoethite α-Fe³⁺O(OH) , Microcline K(AlSi₃O₈)

Lake George, Park County, Colorado, USA

Dimensions: 43 mm x 27 mm x 22 mm
Weight: 24 g

Dozens of sprays of black goethite crystals aesthetically surround a fragment of a microcline crystal. The reverse side of the specimen shows the tops of the sprays giving an almost velvet look to the specimen. From the Lost Mesabi Claim near Lake George; purchased from the claim owner.

QAT-2WQGalena PbS , Anglesite PbSO₄ , Baryte BaSO₄

Blanchard Mine, Bingham, Hansonburg District, Socorro County, New Mexico, USA

Dimensions: 57 mm x 46 mm x 38 mm
Weight: 116 g

A drusy coating of highly lustrous anglesite as it pseudomorphs the underlying gray, cubic galena crystals. There are also two blades of white baryte, one to the left and one on top of the piece. There is also an unknown mineral forming white to tan, velvety spheres along the edges of the galena cubes. My best guess (based solely on visual) was mimetite, but that is not listed for Blanchard. Based solely on Mindat data and photos, I would guess it is fraipontite, but I have no way to be sure enough to actually list it as present on the specimen.

1GA-QUAStellerite Ca₄(Si₂₈Al₈)O₇₂·28H₂O

Vulcan Materials Company Crushed Stone Quarry, Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia, USA

Dimensions: 24 mm x 17 mm x 16 mm
Weight: 5 g

Orange hemispheres composed of radiating crystals of stellerite on a dolerite matrix.

ex. Buck Keller

KR7-F7VFluorapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃F

New Goose Creek Quarry, Leesburg, Loudoun County, Virginia, USA

Dimensions: 22 mm x 17 mm x 10 mm
Weight: 3 g

A very nicely formed, light blue, prismatic (5mm) crystal of fluorapatite with a nice termination on matrix. There is another, much smaller crystal to the left side of the piece.

ex. Buck Keller

1NC-927Titanite CaTi(SiO₄)O , Orthoclase K(AlSi₃O₈)

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

Dimensions: 30 mm x 25 mm x 15 mm
Weight: 11 g

A vein of tabular, dark olive-green crystals of titanite with wedge-shaped terminations runs through the matrix of orthoclase crystals. Originally labeled as coming from Imilchil, I have switched the locality to Agoudim per the note on Mindat's Imilchil locality page.

NLN-YYVBaryte BaSO₄

Hartsel, Hartsel Mining District, Park County, Colorado, USA

Dimensions: 35 mm x 28 mm x 14 mm
Weight: 20 g

A rather thick blade of yellowish-blue baryte is the base of dozens of small blue blades of baryte.

Self-collected on 9/16/21

Y8M-ANMBaryte BaSO₄

Hartsel, Hartsel Mining District, Park County, Colorado, USA

Dimensions: 30 mm x 16 mm x 9 mm
Weight: 10 g

A blue blade of baryte with almost orange edges is perched on top of another blade of blue baryte.

Self-collected on 9/16/21

HJJ-13RBaryte BaSO₄

Hartsel, Hartsel Mining District, Park County, Colorado, USA

Dimensions: 19 mm x 19 mm x 3 mm
Weight: 3 g

A single blade of baryte showing different coloring through its stages of growth.

Self-collected on 9/16/21