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2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® Dealer Minerals Part 2

This post is a continuation of the dealer minerals at the 2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®. I couldn't fit all the pictures and content into a single post, so this is the second of my posts of some of the new finds or remarkable minerals presented by the dealers at the show.

Moving along the show floor, I encountered the booth of Luis Burillos Minerals, where I was shown a new find of large crystal plates of brownish-green Clinozoisite from Cerro San Cristobal, Yauli Province, Peru. These crystals were pretty nice for a usually unremarkable mineral. They were from the same deposit as those from Jaroslov Hyrsl that I saw at the InnSuites show.

Unique Minerals had several fascinating finds from the ever productive Ojuela Mine in Mapimi, Durange, Mexico. This classic locality, considered to be among the most famous and significant mineral specimen deposits in the world, just doesn't stop giving. Unique Minerals sported an entire shelf of newly mined (2017) brightly colored, Ojuela minerals, with the most eye-catching being bright yellow Legrandite in radiating fans, similar to the classic, highly desirable material from past decades. Other interesting Ojuela minerals included Paradamite (a rare Adamite dimorph) in highly desirable lustrous yellow crystal clusters, dark bluish-green globular Rosasite, and banded reniform Malachite.


Well-Arranged Molecules had their usual suite of minerals from the extinct Jeffrey Quarry locality in Asbestos, including some outstanding Vesuvianite, an unusual colorless Grossular, and many fine Grossular var. Hessonite crystal clusters. Well-Arranged Molecules also showed me something quite outstanding: Remarkably large, colorless Quartz crystals with an alpine-type look and feel, from a new find in the Manihar Valley, Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India.


Well-Arranged Molecules also had several well-formed, lustrous, dark brown Zircon crystals on matrix from Store Jufjord, Seiland Island, Alta, Finnmark, Norway. These fine Zircons are associated with dark Mica (presumably Biotite.) This find in the far northern area of Norway has been well documented by Spirifer Minerals (see their article on this here). Spirifer Minerals, located directly across the aisle from Well-Arranged Molecules, indeed had many more of these Zircons from their recent expeditions. Also at Spirifer Minerals were the new finds of skeletal and hoppered gray Halite with Tolbachtite from Lubin, as well as orange Calcite from a basalt quarry Luban, Poland. (Both these finds were mentioned earlier in my report on the InnSuites, where Spirifer Minerals first showed me these new finds.)

Heading down to the Kosnar brothers, who share an adjacent booth, I noticed Brett Kosnar of Kosnar Gem Co. had some interesting cut gem finds, the most fascinated being a champagne-colored Zircon from a new deposit in Tanzania. This material is highly lustrous, has great fire, and exhibits excellent color and transparency. Kosnar Gem Co. also had a bright green, gemmy Titanite that sparkled with a remarkable brilliance and dispersion.

Bruce Wood Minerals had a delicate but highly desirable combination of mint-green Fluorite with Huebnerite on Quartz from Mundo Nuevo, Peru. The association, crystal formation, and lack of damage on this piece was remarkable. Near the entrance to the booth, Bruce Wood also had a giant red Elbaite ("Rubellite") Tourmaline crystal cluster from the Cruzero Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This was quite a conversation piece, and no doubt brought some show spectators into Bruce Wood's booth.


Paradamite from a new find in the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango Mexico, Unique Minerals
Paradamite from a new find in the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Unique Minerals

Legrandite from a new find in the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango Mexico, Unique Minerals
Legrandite from a new find in the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango Mexico
Unique Minerals

Giant, Lustrous Grossular Garnet Plate from the Jefferey Mine, 
Asbestos, Quebec, Canada, Well-Arranged Molecules
Botryoidal Blue Rosasite from a new find in the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Unique Minerals

Giant, Lustrous Grossular Garnet Plate from the Jefferey Mine, 
Asbestos, Quebec, Canada, Well-Arranged Molecules
Large Grossular Garnet Plate from the Jefferey Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada
Well-Arranged Molecules

New Find of Giant, Alpine-Type Quartz Crystals from the Manihar Valley, Kullu, Himichal Pradesh, India
New Find of Giant, Alpine-Type Quartz from the Manihar Valley, Himichal Pradesh, India
Well-Arranged Molecules

Highly Lustrous Champagne-Colored Zircon Gem from a new find in Tanzania, Kosnar Gem Co.
Highly Lustrous Champagne-Colored Zircon Gem from a new find in Tanzania
Kosnar Gem Co.

Large Rare Green Titanite Gem from ***???***, Kosnar Gem Co.
Large Rare Green Titanite Gem
Kosnar Gem Co.

Newly Mined Zircon Crystals with Mica from Seiland, Alta, Finnmark, Norway, Spirifer Minerals
Newly Mined Zircon Crystals with Mica from Seiland, Alta, Finnmark, Norway
Spirifer Minerals

Large and Lustrous Spessartine Garnet Crystal on Matrix from ***???***, Mineral Classics
Large, Lustrous Spessartine Garnet on Matrix from Shengus, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Mineral Classics

A Delicate but Undamaged Combination of Mint-Green Fluorite with Huebnerite on Quartz from Mundo Nuevo, Peru, Bruce Wood Minerals
Pristine Mint-Green Fluorite with Huebnerite on Quartz from Mundo Nuevo, Peru
Bruce Wood Minerals

Large Red Elbaite Tourmaline Show Stopper from the Cruzero Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Bruce Wood Minerals
Large Red Elbaite Tourmaline Show Stopper from the Cruzero Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Bruce Wood Minerals

Very Large Fluorite with Muscovite from Chumar Bakhoor, Nagar, Gilgit, Pakistan, Rocksaholics
Very Large Fluorite with Muscovite from Chumar Bakhoor, Nagar, Gilgit, Pakistan
Rocksaholics

Rusty James from Throwin' Stones Revealing his Minerals.net T-Shirt at the Show
Rusty James from Throwin' Stones Revealing his Minerals.net T-Shirt at the Show

2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® Dealer Minerals Part 1

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® is the most important event of all the mineral and gem shows that take place in Tucson each February. Aside from the outstanding display exhibits, the dealers that fill up the show floor with their mineral and gemstone wares are the real driving force of the show. Almost all the prestigious mineral dealers have a booth, and for many this the place where they introduce new finds.


As in previous years, I scouted the show floor looking for new and interesting material to photograph for this show report. There was plenty to be found, and these are shared in this and the next two posts, accompanied by pictures.


I started my dealer circuit with Cornerstone Minerals, in the far left corner of the show floor. They had some brand new finds of clear Quartz crystals included with bright yellow amphibole, from Boyaca, Colombia, which at the time of the show had not been fully analyzed with an exact mineral identity other than being an amphibole species. These specimens were highly aesthetic and unlike any other types of Quartz with inclusions seen previously. On the topic of Quartz inclusions, Rusty James of Throwin' Stones had some really interesting Stibnite inclusions frozen in clear Quartz from Ganesh Himal in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. They looked very much like Tourmalinated Quartz, but with metallic-lustered Stibnite instead of Tourmaline.


Joe Dorris of Pinnacle 5 Minerals had a huge cluster of Microcline var. Amazonite in Smoky Quartz, from the Smoky Hawk Claim in Florissant, Colorado, which took up an entire shelf in his display case. The plaque next to this gargantuan cluster stated that this is the first showing of the second largest specimen from the Icon Pocket. This hunk of crystals was discovered in 2012 and filmed in the Prospector's TV series, and the repair project of joining all the broken crystals from the pocket was completed in 2018.


The relatively new find of yellow Brucite from Khuzadar District in Baluchistan, Pakistan, has been flooding the market, and many dealers at the show featured this flashy material. However, Fine Art Minerals stood out with some of the largest and brightest Brucite specimens from this new find. Fine Art Minerals also featured a giant white Hambergite crystal, the biggest by far that I have ever seen. It was elongated with parallel fibers, resembling the large Gypsum Var. Selenite wands from Morocco. There was one additional surprise from Fine Art Minerals: Interconnected Elbaite Tourmaline crystals with a very faint pink color from the Skardu District in Pakistan. These Tourmalines are very soft-toned and delicate looking, but at the same time highly aesthetic.


Over to Crystal Classics, from their native United Kingdom were some new Fluorites from Weardale, from both the Rogerley Mine and the Diana Maria Mine. Both these mines are part of the older Rogerly Quarry, a defunct 19th-century limestone mine. The Rogerley Mine has been commercially mined for Fluorite specimens since the 1990's, producing exceptional green Fluorite cubes that turn blue in sunlight from natural fluorescence. Ian Bruce, owner at Crystal Classics, took over specimen mining in 2017, and had lots of nice Fluorites from that locality at his Crystal Classics booth. Many of the Rogerley Mine specimens were labelled as being from the Wolfie Pocket. Nearby, in the western extension of the defunct Rogerley Quarry, another vein of Fluorite was further exploited for specimens by Crystal Classics, producing Fluorite similar to the Rogerly Mine material, but with a slightly darker color as well as some purple examples. Ian named this find in honor of his wife, calling it the Diana Maria Mine. Crystal Classics featured some of the newly mined finds from the Diana Maria Mine at this show.


At the corner of Stonetrust's booth stood a huge, attention-grabbing Stibnite crystal cluster several feet tall. This iconic specimen was from the Xikuangshan Antimony Deposit in Shaoyang Co., Hunan Province, China, and was one of the most memorable minerals of the show.


A new and interesting mineral combination at the Arkenstone booth was botryoidal bronze Goethite with Malachite. The unique bronze color of the Goethite, combined with the contrasting green of the Malachite, made for a remarkably aesthetic mineral. These specimens were from an unspecified location in Northern Laos.


Quartz Crystals with Included Yellow Amphibole, from Boyaca, Colombia, Cornerstone Minerals
Quartz Crystals with Included Yellow Amphibole, from Boyaca, Colombia
Cornerstone Minerals

Quartz Crystals with Stibnite Inclusions, from Ganesh Himal, Dhading, Himalaya Mountains, Nepal, Throwin Stones (Rusty James)
Quartz with Stibnite Inclusions, from Ganesh Himal, Dhading, Himalaya Mountains, Nepal
Throwin Stones (Rusty James)

Second Largest Piece of Amazonite with Smoky Quartz, from the Smoky Hawk Pocket, Florissant, CO. Filmed During Prospectors, Pinnacle 5 Minerals (Joe Dorris)
Second Largest Piece of Amazonite with Smoky Quartz, from the Icon Pocket, Smoky Hawk Claim, Florissant, CO. Filmed During Prospectors
Pinnacle 5 Minerals (Joe Dorris)

Yellow Brucite from the Khuzdar District, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)
Yellow Brucite from the Khuzdar District, Baluchistan, Afghanistan
Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)

Giant Hambergite Crystal from the Shigar Valley, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)
Giant Hambergite Crystal from the Shigar Valley, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)

Light Pink Elbaite Tourmaline from the Haramosh Mnts, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)
Light Pink Elbaite from the Haramosh Mnts, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Fine Art Minerals (Mustafa Ghulam)

Copper after Cuprite, With Copper, from the New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Arizona, Dave Bunk Minerals
Copper after Cuprite, With Copper, from the New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Arizona
Dave Bunk Minerals

Pyrite on Calcite from the Pogo Mine, Southeast Fairbanks Borough, Alaska, Dave Bunk Minerals
Pyrite on Calcite, from the Pogo Mine, Southeast Fairbanks Borough, Alaska
Dave Bunk Minerals

Marshallsussmanite from the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, South Africa, Weinrich Minerals Inc. (Dan Weinrich)
Marshallsussmanite from the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, South Africa
Weinrich Minerals Inc. (Dan Weinrich)

New Fluorite Finds at the Rogerly Mine & Diana Maria Mine, Frosterly, Weardale, England, Crystal Classics (Ian Bruce
New Fluorite Finds at the Rogerly Mine & Diana Maria Mine, Frosterly, Weardale, England
Crystal Classics (Ian Bruce)

Bright Orange Calcite on Pale Amethyst from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Crystal Classics (Ian Bruce
Bright Orange Calcite on Pale Amethyst from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Crystal Classics
Crystal Classics (Ian Bruce)

Huge Stibnite Crystal Cluster from the Xikuangshan Sb Deposit, Shaoyang, Hunan Prov, China, Stonetrust (Robert and Stephanie Snyder)
Huge Stibnite Crystal Cluster from the Xikuangshan Sb Deposit, Shaoyang, Hunan Prov, China
Stonetrust (Robert and Stephanie Snyder)

Goethite and Malachite from Northern Laos, The Arkenstone (Rob Lavinsky)

Large Purple Fluorite from De'an, Jiangxi Province, China, The Arkenstone (Rob Lavinsky)
Large Purple Fluorite from De'an, Jiangxi Province, China
The Arkenstone (Rob Lavinsky)

2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® Individual Minerals Part 2

This post is a continuation of the previous post, showing some of the individual minerals from the exhibit displays of the 2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®. These are individual minerals from private collections.


Rhodochrosite from the Xanda Mine, Virgen da Lapa, M.G., Brazil, Jim and Gail Spann
Rhodochrosite from the Xanda Mine, Virgen da Lapa, M.G., Brazil
Jim and Gail Spann

Chrysoberyl Sixling from Itaguacu, Espirito Santo, Brazil, Jim and Gail Spann
Chrysoberyl Sixling from Itaguacu, Espirito Santo, Brazil
Jim and Gail Spann

Tourmaline Scepter Rocket from the Pedeneira Mine, M.G., Brazil, Jim and Gail Spann
Tourmaline Scepter "Rocket" from the Pedeneira Mine, M.G., Brazil
Jim and Gail Spann

Sulfur from Kilaueu Volcano, Hawaii Island, Hawaii, Jon Bly Collection (Keiki Mineral Club)
Sulfur from Kilaueu Volcano, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
Jon Bly Collection (Keiki Mineral Club)

Quartz & Fluorite Crystals from the Yaogangxian Mine, Hunan Prov., China, Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case
Quartz and Fluorite Crystals from the Yaogangxian Mine, Hunan Prov., China
Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case

Calcite Crystals from the Fozichong Mine, Guangxi Province, China, Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case
Calcite Crystals from the Fozichong Mine, Guangxi Province, China
Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case

Beryl var. Heliodor Crystal from Marambaia, Carai, M.G., Brazil, Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case
Beryl var. Heliodor from Marambaia, Carai, M.G., Brazil
Mineralogical Association of Dallas Case

Azurite with Malachite from the Holbrook Mine, Bisbee, Arizona, META (Mineral Enthusiasts of the Tucson Area)
Azurite with Malachite from the Holbrook Mine, Bisbee, Arizona
META (Mineral Enthusiasts of the Tucson Area)

Purple Fluorite from the Blanchard Mine, Bingham, New Mexico, Blanchard Mine Case
Purple Fluorite from the Blanchard Mine, Bingham, New Mexico
Blanchard Mine Case

Giant Tourmaline Crystal Cluster from the Cruzeiro Mine, M.G., Brazil, St. Troy Consolidated Mines, LTD
Giant Tourmaline Crystal Cluster from the Cruzeiro Mine, M.G., Brazil
St. Troy Consolidated Mines, LTD

X-Shaped Calcite Crystal Twins from the 884 Mine, Leiping, Guiyang Co., Hunan Prov., China, Robert Lavinsky Collection
X-Shaped Calcite Crystal Twins from the 884 Mine, Leiping, Guiyang Co., Hunan Prov., China
Robert Lavinsky Collection

Giant Pyrite Cubes with Spessartine from the Wushan Mine, Tongbei, Fujian Prov., China, Robert Lavinsky Collection
Giant Pyrite Cubes with Spessartine from the Wushan Mine, Tongbei, Fujian Prov., China
Robert Lavinsky Collection

Calcite Cup Shaped Crystal on Calcite Matrix (2 Habits) from Wenshan, Yunnan Prov., China, Robert Lavinsky Collection
Calcite Cup Shaped Crystals on Calcite Matrix (2 Habits) from Wenshan, Yunnan Prov., China
Jim and Gail Spann

>Ilvaite Crystal Spray from the Huanggang Mines, Inner Mongolia, China, Robert Lavinsky Collection
Ilvaite Crystal Spray from the Huanggang Mines, Inner Mongolia, China
Robert Lavinsky Collection

>Kunzite Crystal from the Big Kahuna Pocket, Oceanview Mine, Pala, California, Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society
Kunzite Crystal from the Big Kahuna Pocket, Oceanview Mine, Pala, California
Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society

>Bright Red Tourmaline on Quartz from the Pala Chief Mine, Pala, California, Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society
Bright Red Tourmaline on Quartz from the Pala Chief Mine, Pala, California
Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society

2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® Individual Minerals Part 1

This post contains some of the individual minerals from the display cases at the 2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®. The public displays put together by individual collectors and mineral clubs were all filled with exceptional minerals, and it was difficult for us to choose which to photograph, and then which to post to our show reports. There are thousands of great minerals; these below are just a sampling of those that were particularly memorable or exceptionally photogenic.


Since many of these were from the Lidstrom Entries or other cases that did not have the name of the organizer of the case, we were unable to provide ownership information on many of the specimens show here.


Amethyst Crystal Perched on Elongated Quartz Crystal, Fischergletscher, Switzerland
Amethyst Crystal Perched on Elongated Quartz Crystal, Fischergletscher, Switzerland

Gold and Quartz, from the Oriental Mine, Alleghany, CA
Gold and Quartz, from the Oriental Mine, Alleghany, CA

Pargasite from Luc Yen, Yen Vai Province, Vietnam
Pargasite from Luc Yen, Yen Vai Province, Vietnam

Galena with Quartz from the Kruschev Dol Mine, Madan, Bulgaria
Galena with Quartz from the Kruschev Dol Mine, Madan, Bulgaria

Elongated Goethite from Laurion, Greece
Elongated Goethite from Laurion, Greece

Dendritic Copper Crystals, from the Champion Mine, Houghton Co., Michigan
Dendritic Copper Crystals, from the Champion Mine, Houghton Co., Michigan

Mellite from the Csordakuti Mine, Bickske Csordakut, Hungary
Mellite from the Csordakuti Mine, Bickske Csordakut, Hungary

Meta-Autunite from Lavra Sao Paulo Mine, near Malachita, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Meta-Autunite from Lavra Sao Paulo Mine, near Malachita, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Muzo-Habit Quartz from the Zigras Mine, near Hot Springs, AK, James Zigras
Muzo-Habit Quartz from the Zigras Mine, near Hot Springs, AK
James Zigras

Calcite Cave Formation from the Holbrook Shaft, Bisbee, Arizona
Calcite Cave Formation from the Holbrook Shaft, Bisbee, Arizona

Dioptase Cross, from the Sanda Mine, Mindouli, Central African Republic, Ralph D. Clark
Dioptase Cross, from the Sanda Mine, Mindouli, Central African Republic
Ralph D. Clark

Rhodonite on Calcite, from the Broken Hill Mine, NSW, Australia, Ralph D. Clark
Rhodonite on Calcite, from the Broken Hill Mine, NSW, Australia
Ralph D. Clark

Calcite Rounded Crystals from Boldut Mine, Romania, Luis Burillos
Calcite Rounded Crystals from Boldut Mine, Romania
Luis Burillos

Green Smithsonite from the 79 Mine, Dripping Spring Mnts, AZ
Green Smithsonite from the 79 Mine, Dripping Spring Mnts, AZ

Large Orpiment Crystal Cluster from Quiruvilca, Peru
Large Orpiment Crystal Cluster from Quiruvilca, Peru

>Copper-Rich Paraiba Tourmaline from the Batalha Mine, Paraiba, Brazil, Jim and Gail Spann
Copper-Rich "Paraiba" Tourmaline from the Batalha Mine, Paraiba, Brazil
Jim and Gail Spann

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® 2018 Additional Displays

This is the final "catch-all" post of the remaining display cases that we will show from the 2018 Tucson Gem and Mineral public displays. While there are plenty more good displays that were exhibited at the show, we kept a focus on on the most significant or attractive cases.

This post includes the Lidstrom Entries, which are competitive cases, as well the displays of the Great Quartz Face-off, which is a sub-theme of fine Quartz displays. The Lidstrom Entries don't have labels of collection or organizers, so we apologize for not providing that information. Stay tuned for our next post of the individual minerals


Lidstrom Entry of Various Small Crystals
Lidstrom Entry of Various Small Crystals

Various Self-Collected Minerals
Various Self-Collected Minerals

Pyrite Faces for Dummies
Pyrite Faces for Dummies

Beautiful Lidstrom Entry Case, with Many Fine Gem Minerals, Don Lum Collection
Beautiful Lidstrom Entry Case, with Many Fine Gem Minerals
Don Lum Collection

Another Fantastic Lidstrom Entry Case
Another Fantastic Lidstrom Entry Case

And Yet Another Outstanding Lidstrom Entry Case
And Yet Another Outstanding Lidstrom Entry Case

Nonmetals and Elements
Nonmetals and Elements

A Nicely Organized Lidstrom Entry Case
A Nicely Organized Lidstrom Entry Case

The Great Quartz Crystal Face-Off - Quartz: A Seemingly Endless Array
The Great Quartz Crystal Face-Off - Quartz: A Seemingly Endless Array...

Muzo Habit Quartz from the Zigras Mine, Arkansas, Avant Mining
Muzo Habit Quartz from the Zigras Mine, Arkansas
Avant Mining

Excellent Quartz Crystals, from the Lidstrom Entry Cases, Avant Mining
Excellent Quartz Crystals, from the Lidstrom Entry Cases
Avant Mining

Quartz of the Boulder Batholith (A Great Quartz Crystal Face Off Case)
Quartz of the Boulder Batholith (A Great Quartz Crystal Face Off Case)

The DT Pocket, Smoky Quartz Mined in October 2016 from the California Blue Mine, CA,The Great Quartz Crystal Case
The DT Pocket; Smoky Quartz Mined in October 2016 from the California Blue Mine, CA
(A Great Quartz Crystal Face Off Case)

The DT Pocket, Smoky Quartz Mined in October 2016 from the California Blue Mine, CA,The Great Quartz Crystal Case
Arizona's World of Quartz
Les & Paula Presmyk Collection