We also received some dirty chunks of carbon in the form of anthracite coal from Lackawanna County, Pennyslvania. Small chunks up to about 2" by 2" are available for $4 and larger chunks to 3" by 4" are $6.

CALCITE AND COLEMANITE FROM BORON In the mad rush at the end of last month, we forgot to tell you that we picked up some very nice specimens of colemanite mixed with yellow calcite crystals while we were out at Boron. These make for a very pretty combination. We have specimens up to about 1½" by 2" for $7, and Deluxe-size specimens up to 2" by 3" for $20.

SELENITE ON ROSASITE FROM SCHELL CREEK RANGE, NEVADA Choice pieces from the Nevada locality that our January aurichalcite specimens came from, which we have been holding since January and can now offer you. These consist of minute, clear selenite (gypsum) crystals on a bed of bright green rosasite microcrystals. Beautiful! We have one specimen of just rosasite about 2¾" by 1¾" for $20, and four of selenite on rosasite, about the same size, for $25, $25, $30, and $35.

NATIVE ANTIMONY FROM QUEBEC, CANADA This is the element antimony in its native state, as very small gray crystals on matrix, from the Lac Nicole Antimony Mine, South Ham township, Quebec, Canada. We have small pieces mounted in 1" by 1" plastic thumbnail cases for $5, small pieces up to about 1¾" by 1½" for $8, and a few large pieces up to 3" by 2" for $15.

BORAX STALACTITES FROM BORON We mentioned last month that we were amazed to see some borax stalactites, altered to tincalconite of course! These were found a year or so ago, in one of the old tunnels of the original underground mines. From time to time during normal mining operations, springs of water are opened, and some of the old tunnels are temporarily flooded. These borax stalactites evidently formed on an old piece of equipment, precipitating from borax-rich water as it slowly vacated. According to old-timers, this was only the second time such stalactites have been found, and the first time they were collected. We have these pieces:

About 5" high and 3½" in diameter, with crystals jutting out in every direction $90

Same as above, only shorter (about 4" high) and fatter (about 4" wide) $90

An especially cool piece that consists of two stalactites, side by side, at about a 45N angle from where it was connected $90

CREEDITE FROM DURANGO, MEXICO, OUR OCTOBER 1999 FEATURED MINERAL Up until the last year or two, we could name every mineral we had featured so far in the Club, except for somehow forgetting this one, which we should never have, as it is one of the most unusual and striking minerals we’ve featured! We picked up a small lot of clusters of radiating crystals, most colored brown by inclusions, in pieces up to about 3" by 2" for $20. New Club members, don’t miss out on these beauties!

TOPAZ CRYSTALS FROM MYANMAR We were especially excited to pick up these wonderful crystals in Tucson! We picked out some colorless crystals with sharp faces and good terminations up to 1¾" high by 1" wide for $60; and some of the same size with a slight champagne color for $80; also, one glorious colorless crystal about 4" high and 2" wide that fits perfectly into a hand for $300.

LAZULITE FROM RAPID CREEK, YUKON, CANADA This was probably the most outstanding buy we made at the show. We traded beads (not for Manhattan Island) but for these magnificent specimens of the rare phosphate mineral lazulite. Each specimen has a number of intensely beautiful blue lazulite crystals up to about ¼" with other rare phosphate minerals and quartz on matrix pieces about 4" by 3" to 4" by 4". Each piece is exceptional, and being rare, these are a little pricey, with the price ranging from $74 up to $160. If you are interested, tell us what you would like to spend, and we’ll pick out the most beautiful piece in your price range.

CITRINE FROM MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL, OUR FEBRUARY 2000 FEATURED MINERAL These crystals have nice, natural, orangish-brown color, and are in size about halfway between what we sent to Junior and Deluxe members, for $13. We also have a few Junior-size citrine crystals for $8.

RETICULATED RUTILE TWINS ON HEMATITE This was something we had not seen before, metallic gray twinned rutile crystals, oriented on hematite, from Itamarandiba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These are not as beautiful as some of the minerals mentioned above, but are fascinating in their own way! We have smaller pieces up to 2" by 1½" for $25, and one large piece about 4" by 2½" for $80.

EXCEPTIONAL RUSSIAN MINERALS We also made a new Russian connection and got some outstanding pieces. First is polished astrophyllite, our July 2001 featured mineral. The metallic blades simply shine in golden and red tones– stunning! We picked out four pieces, priced by size and quality: about 2½" by 1½" for $30; about 3" by 2" for $40; and the two most amazing, about 2¼" by 2" for $70 and about 3" by 3" for $70. We also received some exceptional polished, flat pieces of Russian red eudialyte in matrix about 2¼" by 1½" for $27, and three pieces of very rare, polished swirling green and white "seraphinite" (the mineral name is clinochlore): about 3¼" by 1½" for $40; about 3½" by 2" for $50; and about 2½ by 1¾" for $60. And speaking of eudialyte, we picked up some slices from Canada, coated with polyurethane rather than polished, up to 4" by 3" for $24. If you’re a new member and missed when we featured eudialyte last April, you might want to order one of these slices, or we have some new chunks up to about 4" by 3" (somewhat larger than we sent to Deluxe members last year) for $27.

IRIDESCENT HEMATITE/GOETHITE ON QUARTZ FROM GRAVES MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA These are outstanding specimens from a classic locality. All specimens are about 2" by 1" in size, with iridescent hematite and goethite covering a quartz crystal. The price is detemined by the amount of iridescence, so you can just tell us how much you would like to spend, and we’ll send the nicest piece in your price range, which is $20 to $50.

STILL AVAILABLE We still have some of the larger diamonds mentioned on last month’s offer sheet–- check the sheet and give us a call or E-mail if interested! And a few nice borax crystals (already altered to tincalconite of course,) are still available as specimens about 1" by 1" for $4 each, and some nice small clusters up to 1½" by 1" for $9. We also received three specimens of single crystals up to 1½" in length for $9. And we still have larger pieces of colemanite, wonderful specimens up to 4" by 4" for $60 and even larger, up to 6" by 5" for $90.