Lefteris Rantos' Photo Gallery

JHL-A34Mapimite Zn₂Fe³⁺₃(AsO₄)₃(OH)₄·10H₂O

Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mapimí Municipality, Durango, Mexico

Dimensions: 8 mm x 3.5 mm x 3 mm

An 8x3,5x3mm specimen with solid coverage of olive-green micro-crystalline Mapimite on one side of a dark brown colloidal "limonite" gossan matrix also containing Scorodite. Upon magnification, the Mapimite consists of sharp rectangular tabular crystals showing pronounced pleochroism (light greenish-yellow to a deep blue-green "teal" color) and strong vitreous luster. Ex Richard Gaines & Mark Feinglos specimen, now L. Rantos collection. Photo courtesy of Dakota Matrix Minerals.

Professor A. Katerinopoulos

Athanasios Katerinopoulos, Professor of Mineralogy in the Department of Geology, University of Athens. The mineral Katerinopoulosite was named after him in 2017 in recognition of his contribution to the knowledge of the unique mineralogy of the Lavrion District.

K08-3TDLead Pb , Allactite Mn²⁺₇(AsO₄)₂(OH)₈ , Hydrocerussite Pb₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂ , Pyrochroite Mn(OH)₂

Långban Mine, Långban Ore District, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden

Large - up to 1,9 cm across - somewhat hoppered and distorted but sharp for the species cubo-octahedral xls of native Lead showing surface alteration to ivory-white Hydrocerussite, intergrown with deep red-brown to purplish-grey translucent tabular Allactite crystal sections, showing xl faces up to about 2 cm. Matrix is infused with jet-black slender prismatic Pyrochroite xls in dense aggregates; black Pyrochroite also dots the surface of native Lead xls. Pyrochroite is an unstable mineral, slowly deteriorating over time and causing bits of the matrix to crumble off (together with fragments of fragile Allactite).

Overall size of the specimen: 5,7 x 4,6 cm.

According to the book "Långban: The mines, their minerals, geology and explorers", edited by D. Holtstam & J. Langhof, 1999 (pp. 138-139), this material was encountered in the Japan stope of the mine in the late 1910s and early 1920s (Flink, 1923c).

Specimen was formerly in the collection of Swedish collector Harry von Eckermann (see label). Obtained from and photo courtesy of John Veevaert (Trinity Mineral Company), now in the L. Rantos collection.

Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 25th Mar 2014

Ancient theater and Thorikos bay

Velatouri mines, Velatouri, Lavrion mining district, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece

The ancient theater of Thorikos, overlooking Thorikos Bay and Makronissos island in the background.

Konstantinos Ktenas

Konstantinos I. Ktenas (1884-1935), Greek physician, professor of mineralogy and petrology in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The mineral Ktenasite was named after him.

Fumaroles at Stefanos crater.

Stefanos crater, Nisyros, Kos, South Aegean, Greece

Yellow sulphur deposited around active fumaroles inside Stefanos Crater, Nisyros Island.

Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 21st Jul 2011

KD6-LRAManganite Mn³⁺O(OH)

Manganese deposit, Ilfeld, Harztor, Nordhausen District, Thuringia, Germany

Part of an 11x5,7cm classic specimen of jet-black terminated columnar xls of Manganite forming a druse on massive Manganite, associated with a 3.2cm long blade of white Barite. Field of view 6.5x4.5cm, largest Manganite xl in view is 1.9 cm long. L.Rantos collection.

4N3-A6FManganite Mn³⁺O(OH)

Manganese deposit, Ilfeld, Harztor, Nordhausen District, Thuringia, Germany

Group of brilliantly lustrous striated prismatic xls with sharp terminations, from the classic locality. Size of group is 3x2.4cm, largest xl is 25x10mm. L.Rantos collection.

H9C-P2VSundiusite Pb₁₀(SO₄)O₈Cl₂

Långban Mine, Långban Ore District, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden

Columnar flat-lying Sundiusite xls on matrix of Braunite and Calcite. Field of view is 7mm. Ex M. Feinglos and Harvard University specimen, collected by G. Flink (Unknown #284). L.Rantos collection.

G73-UUAOyelite Ca₁₀Si₈B₂O₂₉·12.5H₂O , Bultfonteinite Ca₂(HSiO₄)F·H₂O

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

Thick white soft layered crust of Oyelite covering botryoidal Bultfonteinite. The Oyelite crust retains the microcrystalline surface structure of the underlying Bultfonteinite. Image width is 2.8cm. Mine workers often used to rinse off the rare Oyelite crusts to expose the Bultfonteinite! On the underside of the specimen are found water-clear bowties of sheaf-like Poldervaartite xls, a small clear doubly terminated Thaumasite prism and minute deep yellow disc-shaped Ettringite xls, all on Oyelite crusts. Ex Ludi von Bezing specimen, L.Rantos collection.