Archived Mineral Pictures

These historic copper specimens were collected from the Rio Tinto mine (Mountain City District, Elko County, Nevada) back around 1960 by a dozer opperator, during the reclaimation of this long-defunct copper mine. I was fortunate enough to take part in the acquisition of this original collection. A small portion of these specimens showed patinas of dark-red cuprite coating unusually-fine, dendritic, crystallized copper. Good crystallized coppers from any Nevada locality are difficult to locate, and these are no exception.

Rio Tinto Cuprite-on-Copper #6, 85-

An unusually lustrous and attractive miniature measuring 4.5 x 2.0 x 0.5cm with several dark rock clasts attached to the upper portion of the piece- Sold 09/04

Olinghouse Gold (Au-1054), 4x3x3cm, $525 SOLD 09/04

A beautiful and rich miniature specimen with 3.0 x 1.5cm wraparound nest of gold up to 1cm thick, on quartz-drused andesite matrix. This piece has distinct wires to 0.5cm. The right side displays some unusual 2cm long manganese-oxide dendrites, along with a 3mm-thick breccia vein full of gold wires. There is even an etched 1mm galena perched on the main nest.

Nevadaite with Fluellite, $25

A 2.0x1.3x1.0cm thumbnail specimen with 0.5-1mm balls of medium to near royal-blue Nevadaite, in association with glassy micro crystals of Fluellite, all on classic brecciated Carlin Trend "jasperoid" gold ore!

SOLD 10/04

Nevadaite, $30

A 2.3x1.6x0.9cm thumbnail specimen with a rich, 3mm patch of smooth, darker-blue Nevadaite balls.

SOLD 09/04

Nevadaite with Fluellite and Hewettite, $50

A 2.0x2.0x1.7cm thumbnail specimen with a pleasing array of dense, acicular, turquoise-blue Nevadaite sprays in association with many glassy, light-green Fluellites to 1mm (they show poorly in this picture). One small spray of Hewettite can be seen on the far right side of the display face. SOLD 08/04

Nevadaite, $60

A 2.2x1.6x1.5cm TN specimen with dense, vibrant-blue, acicular Nevadaite balls averaging about 0.5mm on a darker, contrasting, jasperoid matrix. Choice!

SOLD 10/04

Nevadaite Miniature! $175

A 4.5x4.4x2.0cm specimen displaying fine brecciation to the jasperoid matrix. Tucked away in some of these voids are fine nests of Nevadaite, with the largest solid patch being about 4mm across. The crystals have a pleasing medium-blue, to blue-green color and occur as dense, fuzzy balls averaging 0.2mm. Along with this, there is one particularly fine Hewettite spray tucked in, behind the main Nevadaite patch. When looking into this main vug (you can see daylight on the other side) this radial 2mm spray can be seen, and it's a pretty little thing! There is also some minor Fluellites. This is my one-and-only miniature of this species I have to offer. SOLD 02/04

Murray Stibnite #6, 6.5 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm, $40 SOLD 09/04

An attractive, parallel cluster of bright, unterminated stibnite prisms.

I am pleased to offer 3 very choice specimens from a great 2003 field find at the top of the Kingston Range. All of these pieces came from the same pocket and all show many amethyst crystals, each with a developed series of 2 stacked purple phantoms. They're some of the prettiest and glassiest California amethyst I've seen! Enjoy!

Kingston Range Amethyst,7.0x6.5x4.5cm, $250 SOLD 09/04

This very high quality and aesthetic small cabinet specimen has many glassy and deeply colored double-phantomed amethysts, with crystals from 1-2cm, all on weathered granite matrix. Nice!

Kingston Amethyst, 14 x 14 x 9cm, $500 SOLD 09/04

This large cabinet specimen displays a 12x6cm open pocket of beautiful double-phantomed amethyst crystals to 3cm, with a well centered 5cm rosette! There is a milky crystal scar, where an amethyst once grew, near the center of this cluster. It is concealed by the amethyst crystals around it, but must be mentioned for accuracy. The matrix is weathered granite. This piece represents one of the very best and showiest cabinet specimens from this 2003 find!

Fresnoite, 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.5cm, $20

A light-yellow, somewhat gemmy fresnoite crystal section with a few lustrous faces. From Pocket Zone #1. Sold 07/04

Fresnoite, 0.9 x 0.7 x 0.4cm, $20

A chunky fresnoite crystal section with a few lustrous faces. From Pocket Zone #1. SOLD 07/04

Fresnoite, 1.5 x 1.3 x 0.9cm, $40

A small thumbnail specimen showing sheets of lustrous analcime crystals with a 4 x 3 x 2mm frosted yellow fresnoite perched at the top. From Pocket Zone #1 Sold 10/04

Fresnoite, 2.0 x 2.0 x 1.2cm, $50

A small piece of a vug I found in Pocket Zone #1. The yellow-orange fresnoites range up to 3mm and lay down on the lustrous white analcime matrix.

Sold 10/04

Fresnoite, 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.4cm, $50

An nice 8 x 5 x 2mm freestanding peach-pink fresnoite perched on a tiny, 4mm-wide fragment of analcime matrix. From Pocket Zone #1.

Sold 09/04

Fresnoite on Matrix, 2.2 x 1.5 x 0.5cm, $70, Sold 10/04

A thin piece of Franciscan phyllite, from Pocket Zone #1, with a line of 5 distinct and complete, but dull, fresnoite crystals to 0.4cm, with a few lustrous, white analcimes.

Eagles Nest Gold #1- $1,200, Sold 10/04

My richest and most beautiful Eagles Nest gold specimen, measuring 3.7x1.9x0.7cm. It weighs in at 13.66g, much of which is bright leaf and dendrite gold. When I originally got this piece, this entire face was covered in white quartz. With patience and skill, this fine crystallized mass of gold was exposed. The white quartz matrix is natural and unetched. This specimen is very stable and attractive!

Eagles Nest Gold #5- $325, Sold 08/04

A showy, 4.2x3.5x1.5cm specimen weighing 26.15g. The moderately crystallized gold mass measures 1.5x1.5cm and up to 0.7cm thick, with the top third protruding off matrix. The quartz itself is natural and unetched and contains open pockets with sparkling crystal faces.

Gold-Coated Platinum #2- $250, Sold to the Smithsonian Institution, 09/04!

0.6 x 0.5 x 0.3 cm, 1.06 g

This is my personal favorite piece. The unusually-thick gold coating is deep-butter yellow, with the front entirely enclosed by it! On the back, and one side face, the platinum cube is perfectly exposed from the gold. Otherwise, one might think that this is a cubic gold crystal! Two interpenetration-twin members of the platinum crystal can be seen under the gold, as well. A remarkable specimen!

Gold-Coated Platinum #3 - $225, Sold 09/04

0.6 x 0.5 x 0.4 cm, 1.04 g

A beautifully isometric, repeating interpenetration-twinned platinum crystal coated by butter-yellow gold. Classic!

Olinghouse Gold Cabinet Specimen #1, 813 Pit, 9.5x5.0x4.0cm, $1100

A am pleased to offer a full cabinet specimen of Olinghouse wire gold on green andesite matrix. The front face, shown on the left-side picture, displays an open fracture face with a 7x5cm area containing about a 70% coverage in nest gold. This gold nest averages about 2-3mm thick and looks to go up to 0.5cm in thickness towards the center. Many wirelike and isometric leaves can be seen, some up to 3mm across. At the base of the front, the wire gold nests permeate a 2-3mm thick patch of laumontite and heulandite. The white of this area ads nice contrast to the display face. Along the sides and back of this piece, the matrix becomes well brecciated and a deep series of open, 2-4mm wide fractures occur, lined with more gold wires. These can be seen better in person. This is a showy cabinet specimen is laden throughout with wire gold nests. SOLD

Olinghouse Gold (OH-963), 6.8 x 3.5 x 2.5cm, $525

This attractive specimen is highlighted by 3.0cm-long x 1.5-wide x 0.8cm-thick nest of wire gold, aesthetically sandwiched between matrix breccia chucks. There is another 1.5 x 1.0cm gold wire patch to the side of this one, and a couple of 1-2mm thick veins in the andesite that show gold wires. All of the gold is on quartz druse. A good piece for a mineral cabinet. SOLD

Olinghouse Gold Miniature (Au-1007), 6.3 x 3.3 x 2.7cm, $425

A very nice moderately brecciated specimen with above-average coverage to the wire gold nests, some showing "garland" form. These unusual garland wires reach 4mm in length and lay across the quartz-drused andesite matrix. The color of the gold is brighter than pictures can capture. SOLD

Eagles Nest Gold #2- $500 (lightly stabilized)

A very attractive, 3.7x3.0x1.5cm, 14.37g specimen that curiously resembles an elk or moose head! Carefully prepared and lightly stabilized with a tiny drop of invisible glue for strength, this nature, unetched specimen is unique and beautiful! SOLD

Eagles Nest Gold #3- $350

A superb, 2.7x1.5x0.5cm thumbnail specimen weighing 2.59g. This bright, dendritic ribbon of gold leaves measures 2.5cm tall and graces the quartz matrix that is aesthetically lays upon. SOLD

Eagles Nest Gold #6- $200

A 2.6x2.4x1.0cm thumbnail specimen weighing 10.12g, with a chunky 1.2x1.0x0.7cm crystallized gold leaf mass well exposed at the top. This piece is very bright and attractive! SOLD

Eagles Nest Gold #7- $175

A 3.3x2.2x1.0cm, 11.45g specimen with a chunky 1.8x1.4x1.0cm mass of bright, semi-crystallized gold well exposed and protruding from the top, along will more in the lower/back matrix. Showy! SOLD

Scott Kleine Mineral Collecting Stories-

Olinghouse Gold Article

Fresnoite Collecting Story

Olivenite Collecting Story

Chalcophyllite Collecting Story