ELBAITE TOURMALINE, variety WATERMELON. Single crystal with green color on the ends and pink in the middle. One end is terminated, with minor damage. Luster is vitreous. The crystal is 1.3 inches in length. Pictures show with and without a light on the side to illustrate the translucency. From the famous Himalaya Mine in California.

Brilliant GOLD LEAF from the famous Little Jonny Mine in Leadville, Colorado. The gold weighs 1.8 grams (0.063 ounces).

Beautiful REALGAR crystal from a classic location in 1992. Brilliant red color with a good termination on one end. The crystal is 1.3 inches in length. Realgar is light sensitive. Realgar is an arsenic sulfide mineral. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

ELBAITE crystal with a blue INDICOLITE cap. The blue cap is translucent. Luster is vitreous. The crystal is 1.0 inch in length. Albite is the small white spot on the crystal. This specimen is thumbnail size. ELBAITE is a member of the Tourmaline group. INDICOLITE is the blue variety of Elbaite.

This single, translucent BRAZILIANITE crystal is 1.2 inch. Color is green with a hint of yellow. The luster is vitreous. This specimen is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey.

Peach colored, translucent TOPAZ crystal. The terminated end is vitreous but all of the sides are adamantine. There is conchoidal fracturing on one side and the bottom. Topaz is the birthstone for November. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

Peach colored TOPAZ crystal. The terminated end is rough but all of the sides are transparent. The white mineral is Albite (Feldspar). The Topaz can be cut into a gemstone. Topaz is the birthstone for November. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey in New Mexico.

Cluster of green PERIDOT crystals. Peridot is a green, gemmy variety of Forsterite (Olivine). The largest Peridot crystal is 1.1 inches in length. From Pakistan. Peridot is a highly desirable precious gemstone. Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August and the 16th wedding anniversary gemstone. This piece is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and long-time geologist with the US Geological survey in New Mexico.

Two blue, translucent TOURMALINE, variety ELBAITE, crystals with pink LEPIDOLITE Mica from the famous Cruzeiro mine in Brazil. Minor white Calcite. Luster is vitreous. The longest crystal is 1.2 inches. This specimen is thumbnail size as it fits in a 1.25 inch perky box. Pictures are with and without a direct light on the side of the crystals to show the blue color and translucency. 

Large, translucent SCHEELITE crystal with a contact twin. The largest face is 1.4 inches long. Brilliant golden-yellow color. It fluoresces blue under short wave UV light. The matrix is silvery MUSCOVITE. The specimen is from the famous Pingwu mine in China. Scheelite is a major ore for Tungsten. This specimen is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey.

IMPERIAL TOPAZ with its distinctive golden-orange color is the rarest and most valuable variety of topaz. This crystal is 1.0 inch in length with a perfect termination on one end. Luster on all faces is vitreous. It has the internal scintillations that make these topaz so unique and pretty, and prized by collectors. A great thumbnail from this world famous locality that has produced some of the most incredible color Topaz crystals in the world. This specimen is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey.

Beautiful cluster of green TSAVORITE which is a variety of GROSSULAR (Garnet). The translucent Tsavorite crystals are on a matrix of silvery Graphite. The largest Tsavorite crystal is 0.4 inches. Green color is from traces of chromium. Luster is vitreous.  This specimen is from the type locality of Merelani Hills, Tanzania.

This brilliant cluster of BRAZILIANITE crystals is translucent. The longest crystal is 1.0 inch. Color is green with a hint of yellow. The luster is vitreous. This specimen is from the collection of Roger Maynard. Roger is a friend and was a long-time geologist with the US Geological Survey.

Beautiful honey-brown Barite rosettes and shimmering Marcasite on Schalenblende stalactites.

A beautiful gem crystal of Aquamarine from Vietnam. 

A beautiful gem crystal of Aquamarine from Vietnam.

A beautiful gem crystal of Aquamarine from Vietnam.