Chris Emproto's Photo Gallery

HTQ-CEMDundasite PbAl₂(CO₃)₂(OH)₄·H₂O , Crocoite PbCr⁶⁺O₄

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

Field of View: 10 cm

Patch of white dundasite with a few tiny needles of red crocoite in situ at the Adelaide Mine, Tasmania, Australia. The Adelaide Mine is the type and best locality for dundasite. Dundasite is rather abundant at the Adelaide Mine, but is rare at the other crocoite localities in the area. Photographed when I was graciously invited to tour the mine by the owner, Adam Wright. March 31st, 2024.

A shaft at the Dundas Extended Mine

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

Looking up an 18 m shaft that I had just climbed down in the Dundas Extended Mine, Tasmania, Australia. Taken April 3rd, 2024 when I was graciously invited to tour the mine by Mike and Eleanor Phelan.

The Weld River in March

Weld River, Moorina, Dorset municipality, Tasmania, Australia

A beautiful day on the Weld River fossicking for gems. Taken March 29th, 2024.

7C6-DP8Quartz SiO₂

Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Field of View: 85 mm

White quartz vein with a small vug cutting granite on the flank of Mount Bunagatake in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. There are numerous quartz veins that cross-cut the granite in addition to well-developed propylitic alteration of biotite-bearing granite along other fractures. 22.6 mm ¥100 JPY coin for scale. Photographed while hiking April 19th, 2024. Chris Emproto photo.

2WW-DD7Hydroxylapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH)

Oksøyekollen, Snarum, Modum, Buskerud, Norway

Dimensions: 2.0 cm x 1.9 cm x 1.5 cm

White hydroxylapatite crystal from old finds at Oksøyekollen, Buskerud, Norway. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. Composite image generated from 58 individual photos stacked using Helicon Focus image processing software. Chris Emproto collection and photo.

ND2-64RAndalusite Al₂(SiO₄)O

Jenipapo pegmatite field, Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dimensions: 1.9 cm x 1.0 cm x 0.9 cm

Olive green gem andalusite crystal from the Jenipapo District, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The crystal is highly pleochroic in polarized light, changing from pale olive green to very dark forest green. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. Composite image generated from 33 individual photos stacked using Helicon Focus image processing software. Chris Emproto collection and photo.

6CE-4V2Sulphur S₈

Lake Taupo, Taupo District, Waikato Region, New Zealand

Dimensions: 1.3 cm x 0.6 cm x 0.5 cm

Yellow sulfur crystal with a skeletal habit from Lake Taupo, Waikato Region, New Zealand. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. Composite image generated from 19 individual photos stacked using Helicon Focus image processing software. Ex. R. Peter Richards #3474. Pete acquired this in September 1995 in a trade. Chris Emproto collection and photo.

7NN-K36Kladnoite C₆H₄(CO)₂NH

Kladno mine, Libušin, Kladno District, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic

Field of View: 12 mm

Pale blades of kladnoite on a hydrocarbon-rich matrix from the Kladno Mine, Kladno District, Czech Republic. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. This is a composite image of just four photos stacked using Helicon Focus image processing software. Chris Emproto collection and photo.

6KW-24JPerovskite CaTiO₃ , Calcite CaCO₃

Oka complex, Deux-Montagnes RCM, Laurentides, Québec, Canada

Dimensions: 1.2 cm x 1.0 cm x 0.7 cm
Largest Crystal Size: 3 mm

A 3mm cube of black Nb-rich perovskite (XEDS analyzed; analysis in child photos) in whitish calcite from the Oka Complex, Quebec, Canada. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. Composite image generated from 26 individual photos stacked using Helicon Focus software. Sold to me as "latrappite", but—like many latrappite specimens—this one didn't measure up. Chris Emproto collection and photo.

9UD-9DGBikitaite LiAlSi₂O₆·H₂O

Foote Lithium Co. Mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA

Dimensions: 1.9 cm x 0.9 cm x 0.2 cm

Colorless triclinic crystal of bikitaite from the Foote Mine, North Carolina, USA. Photographed with a Nikon Z7 camera using a Nikkor 105mm macro lens and a manual focusing rail. Composite image generated from 24 individual photos stacked using Helicon Focus software. Ex. Jack Eaker, mine chemist at the Foote Mine who collected this specimen. Chris Emproto collection and photo.