Francois Retief's Photo Gallery

MWC-UX3Beryl (Var: Emerald) Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)

Cobra pit, Gravelotte Emerald Mine, Gravelotte, Murchison Range, Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality, Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Dimensions: 54 mm x 55 mm x 26 mm

Emerald in a matrix of biotite schist.

PYR-MPCSkorpionite Ca₃Zn₂(PO₄)₂(CO₃)(OH)₂·H₂O , Hydrozincite Zn₅(CO₃)₂(OH)₆ , Tarbuttite Zn₂(PO₄)(OH)

Skorpion Mine, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund Constituency, ǁKaras Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 95 mm x 70 mm x 54 mm
Field of View: 20 mm

A close up photo with a FOV of 20mm of a secondary deposition of colorless, acicular Skorpionite crystals that completely covers a layer of white Hydrozincite. The Hydrozincite layer covers pale green Tarbuttite. The full specimen size is 95 x 80 x 54 mm. The second photo of the full specimen was taken under a Short Wave UV light (254nm). The Skorpionite has a green fluorescence and the Tarbuttite an orange fluorescence.

XAG-GVDDespujolsite Ca₃Mn⁴⁺(SO₄)₂(OH)₆·3H₂O

N'Chwaning III Mine, N'Chwaning Mines, Joe Morolong Local Municipality, John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, Northern Cape, South Africa

Dimensions: 30 mm x 28 mm x 12 mm
Field of View: 10 mm

Yellow green despujolsite crystals on matrix. The FOV is 10 mm and the main crystal is 7.5mm in length. The other brown mineral is unidentified but could possibly be sturmanite due to the crystal shape. The 2nd companion photo shows a closer up side view where the crystal face is covered in micro crystals.

J1D-CTLAragonite CaCO₃ , Chromite Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄

Montrose chrome mine, Steelpoort, Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, Sekhukhune District Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Dimensions: 97 mm x 60 mm x 45 mm

Aragonite dripstone on a granular chromite matrix.

TNA-PHDChalcopyrite CuFeS₂

Nababeep West Mine, Nababeep tungsten mines, Nababeep, Okiep Copper District, Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape, South Africa

Dimensions: 74 mm x 42 mm x 41 mm

A chalcopyrite specimen with two spheres connected to each other.

F1Q-1MXEpidote (CaCa)(AlAlFe³⁺)O[Si₂O₇][SiO₄](OH) , Prehnite Ca₂Al₂Si₃O₁₀(OH)₂ , Calcite CaCO₃

Goboboseb Mountains, Brandberg Area, Dâures Constituency, Erongo Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 63 mm x 55 mm x 30 mm

Gemmy green epidote rosettes on a bed of white quartz with prehnite spheres.

TX5-LLMFluorite CaF₂

Omehane, Otjinamewa, Dâures Constituency, Erongo Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 140 mm x 100 mm x 35 mm

Green stepped cubes of gemmy/stacked flourite. This was confirmed by the dealer as a recent find i.e. 2021/2022.

The specimen has unusually high fluorescence and this can be seen on the second photo taken under LW UV light.

GLQ-J25Shattuckite Cu₅(Si₂O₆)₂(OH)₂ , Quartz (Var: Chalcedony) SiO₂

Mesopotamia 504 Farm, Mesopotamia copper valley, Khorixas, Kunene Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 67 mm x 65 mm x 45 mm

A vug of shattuckite balls covered with chalcedony in a solid quartz matrix. At places where the balls have been exposed (see photo) the blue centre core of shattuckite can clearly be seen.

0E8-MEVShattuckite Cu₅(Si₂O₆)₂(OH)₂

Mesopotamia 504 Farm, Mesopotamia copper valley, Khorixas, Kunene Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 65 mm x 48 mm x 45 mm

Fluffy shattuckite balls on matrix from the Mesopotamia copper valley near Khorixas

TNH-DDPHemimorphite Zn₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂·H₂O , Smithsonite ZnCO₃

Skorpion Mine, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund Constituency, ǁKaras Region, Namibia

Dimensions: 100 mm x 90 mm x 55 mm

A large specimen of lustrous light blue hemimorphite crystals on a heavy matrix. The matrix has a few vugs (for example see left side of the photo) that appear to be filled with smithsonite crystals (visual identification). The second photo is a close up with a FOV of 25mm that shows the clusters of hemimorphite crystals on this specimen.