#cc-da-wolf

Finally got some proper pictures of my bismuth crystal. I took several shots, but this one does a good job at displaying the opening and length of the hopper. Also the front of the crystal looks exactly how you would expect it to.

Enter the rainbow void!

                                Collection Highlights

Azurite

Chemical formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 (copper carbonate)

Color: Electric to very dark (almost black) blue

Hardness: Semi-soft (3.5-4)

Crystal system: Monoclinic

Occurrence: Uncommon

Health risks: None

Wow factors:

- Spectacular color not seen with many minerals!

- Usually grows with green malachite and can sometimes grow in bands with it forming unique specimens.

Care tips:

- Azurite is sensitive to high heat and humidity. Prolonged exposure to a hot and humid environment may cause the specimen to wear down and become malachite.,For this reason, do not clean with water, store in direct sunlight, or use a heated lamp to light it.

- Store in a cool, dry cabinet and clean with a blub blower.

Locality of these pieces:  Unknown, but a very good possibility it was from Bisbee, Arizona which is one of the best localities for azurite in the world!

Price range: Small pieces such as azurite “Blueberries” are common and very affordable (usually less than $10). Nice thumbnails can range from $20-80 depending on the quality. Nice cabinet pieces can be quite expensive depending on color and quality. Expect large specimens to cost over $100.

Of all the minerals that come out of my home state of Ohio, few are more beautiful than the stunning phantom fluorites of Auglaize Quarry, near Junction in Paulding. One of my recently acquired thumbnails and barely 1.25cm at its widest point. Incredible sharp dark phantom surrounded by a layer that is nearly colorless. The cubes are purple in coloration, but in the right lighting (as shown here), they practically glow royal blue! A superb specimen I got from a local rock shop!

More photos

-cc-da-wolf

I saw your question of the day about calcite vs quartz. I think calcite deserves more love so here’s a recent photo of a my newest golden calcite crystal from Sweetwater Mine! Calcite can be so beautiful especially golden calcite :D I have a lot of calcite specimens that are far more gemmy and colorful than most would expect from the species.

-cc-da-wolf

Wait for it! It’s a gif :)

This is a perfect example of the aptly named aragonite “Lightning Bolt” formations that are found in Long Lake, Ontario Canada. Kind of a dull-looking piece until you turn out the lights! A rather important note: The piece doesn’t glow in the dark; it fluoresces and “glows” under UV light….SHORT wave UV light to be more specific. Short wave (SW) UV light is VERY dangerous and can cause irreparable damage to your eyes even after momentary exposure. Prolonged exposure can also cause skin cancer (which is why SW UV tanning beds do you more harm than good). You can buy safety glasses that block these harmful rays, however. So UV rock collecting is a safe hobby as long as you have the proper equipment.

~cc-da-wolf

Collection Highlights

Quartz clusters from Peru

Chemical formula: SiO2 (Silicon dioxide)

Color: Milky white, colorless (sometimes water clear!)

Hardness: HARD (7)

Crystal system: Hexagonal

Occurrence: common

Health risks: None

Wow factors:

- Quartz crystals from this locality are almost always long, perfectly formed, and grow in delicate clusters that are pleasing to look at.

- Almost always grow alongside sphalerite and pyrite which can also be quite beautiful!  

Care tips:

- Specimens are often very fragile! Handle with care.

- While quartz can be washed with water, pyrite cannot because it can rust. Clean with bulb blower only. Compressed air may dislodge smaller crystals.

- Some specimens feature quartz crystals that are finer than a human hair! Great care must be taken with these specimens.

Locality of these pieces:  Huaron, Peru.

Price range: Pieces are common and very affordable! You can find a very nice specimen for under $50 in most cases. Larger specimens with a great aesthetic display may cost more as expected.

                               Collection Highlights

Vanadinite

Chemical formula: Pb5(VO4)3Cl (Lead chloro-vanadate)

Color: Commonly bright red, reddish-orange, orange, yellow, grey, brown.

Hardness: SOFT (2.5-3)

Crystal system: Hexagonal

Occurrence: Uncommon

Health risks: Contains lead, do not ingest and wash hands after handling.

Wow factors:

- The color and shape of the crystals are unique and stunning!

- Always grows in hexagons. Commonly they are plates, sometimes they grow in thicker hexagonal barrels.

- Vanadinite likes to grow in dense clusters. Most specimens will contain dozens  of crystals even on a small matrix!

Care tips:

- Specimens can sometimes darken after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Do not display in direct sunlight!

- Clean with warm soapy water (mild soap) and then rinse with distilled water to    prevent water spots. Air dry.

- Locality of this piece:  Mibladen, Morocco. The world’s BEST locality for blood-   red vanadinite!

Price range: Vanadinite, especially red crystals with great shape and color, are highly sought after by most collectors and can be quite expensive. Thumbnail specimens (aptly named because they are about the size of your thumbnail) can range from $30-80 depending on quality. Larger cabinet specimens can cost much more and can easily climb past $100!

“Some of you may have seen this gif floating around tumblr already, but I didn’t submit it to this blog yet (which I said I would a while back, but kind of forgot…sorry).

This is a pretty typical-looking clear “optical” calcite crystal, but it has two very special properties that are the only reasons why I purchased this. It shows up as THREE different colors depending on the light source. Under standard lighting, this looks like your average colorless crystal. Long wave UV (the same kind you find in laser tag rooms) causes the crystal to glow bright pink. This property is called “florescence” which is very common for calcite specimens. Short wave UV (the same kind you find in tanning beds) not only causes it to glow blue, but the crystal will continue to glow for a few seconds after the UV light is removed. This property is called “phosphorescence” and is not as commonly seen.”

~cc-da-wolf