Satiny, translucent yellow Smithsonite with micro Willemite. Lesser known than Tsumeb, this mine produced some great Smithsonite specimens. The Smithsonite is highly translucent and you can see straight through to the matrix in areas. Ex. Wolfgang Pohl collection with label.

Precious Opal that has replaced a fossil clam shell from the famous Coober Pedy opal fields in Australia. Most of these are uniform in shape and polished smooth, looking more like Opal that has filled casts after fossil clams. This one retains all the features of the clam including the hinge area and the back shows all the ridges and striations of the former shell surface. The top side is lightly polished and shows bright reds, greens, gold, and purple colorization. I purchased this one from a jewelry store in Chinatown, San Francisco about 25 years ago from the owner who was reluctant to sell. This is a rare, complete specimen translucent when backlit.

Formations of shiny black Magnetite crystals with green flower-like crystal groups of Clinochlore from an obscure deposit in Kazakhstan. This was easily the most aesthetic example I selected from a few flats of this material available at the Tucson show back in the 1990s.

Glassy Adamite crystals on Limonite. There are both individual crystals, doubly-terminated crystals, and a large pinwheel cluster. What makes this special is the more green than yellow color and the aesthetic arrangement of the crystals. Undamaged fine miniature.

Transparent red Spessartine crystal with the crazy geometric growth formations these are known for. Fine undamaged example that is complete and well crystallized all around.

Glassy pink Grossular crystals to 8mm in size on matrix. Beautiful transparent crystals with pure pink coloration.

Silvery metallic spinel-twinned Galena crystal perched aesthetically atop a brassy Pyrhottite crystal.

Rare gem Chrysoberyl crystal from Espirito Santo (possibly Santa Teresa though old label says Colatina) that does not have the typical sixling twinning. This crystal has smooth, sharp, well-formed faces all around and a greenish-yellow, golden coloration. Undamaged and gemmy top to bottom.