Chinese Mineral Specimens 2$ to 20$
So what if the price is low...as long as the specimen is aesthetic and damage free! Chinese minerals are a great deal in our current market. Every year there seems to be new finds of Chinese calcites as individual crystals or in interesting combinations with other minerals. You will find many fine calcites in this section from numerous locations. Most will be free of distracting damage and most have fine aesthetics. The prices for good calcites are rising steadily and good examples are always in demand. You will find a great selection below...
Chinese "Nail Head" Calcite
Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China
Three dealers at the 2007 Tucson show had these unusual calcites in their inventories. They are composed of goethite coated schalenohedral crystals which are capped by flattened rhombohedrons which are clear to translucent and are perfection in their form. Some refer to this combination of forms as “nail head” calcites. Whatever you call them they are certainly highly aesthetic and bound to be appreciated by more than just calcite collectors. Some are extremely complex with twinning and flattened rhombs on the flanks of the schalenohedrons, as well. They were rather expensive for calcites but I did bite the bullet and purchase a couple of dozen pieces. This was the entire inventory of one of my more regular suppliers. These are bound to go quickly so make your choices fast. I have posted all that remain and there are none sitting in reserve. These fine specimens are all damage free unless otherwise noted. I will keep all the descriptions brief in that they are so difficult to describe. They will all be photographed from at least a couple views. I think the photographs will speak for themselves. These are beautiful specimens (and fluorescent). The prices are better that the couple of other dealers who only have a couple anyways. Don't pay 500 to 1,000$ for one of these specimens!!!
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OKE-291 Calcite RESERVED Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 7.5 cm piece with a nest twin cap crystal measuring 2.1 cm. Great piece! 180$
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OKE-292 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 4 cm piece with a cap crystal measuring 3.5 cm. Great piece! 50$
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OKE-294 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 5.6 cm piece with a huge cap crystal measuring 5.1 cm. Great piece! 200$
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OKE-295 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 7.8 cm piece with a cap crystal measuring 2.2 cm. Back view is poor due to a large cleave. Great piece! 180$
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OKE-296 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 5.6 cm piece with a cap crystal measuring 3.2 cm. This one also has a 3.5 cm nest twin on its backside. Great piece! 160$
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OKE-297 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 5.2 cm piece with a cap crystal measuring 2.8 cm. Great piece! 160$
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OKE-299 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 4.4 cm piece with a cap crystal measuring 2 cm. Great piece! 60$
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OKE-125 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 8.4 cm piece with a cap crystals measuring 3.4 cm. One flank of the primary crystal is coated by white rider crystals. Killer piece! 275$
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OKE-080 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 4.2 cm piece with a cap crystals measuring 3 cm. Great piece! 85$
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OKE-081 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 7.1 cm piece with a cap crystals measuring 3.5 cm. One flank of the primary crystal has two small, double terminated schalenohedral crystals with its own riders. Killer piece! 145$
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OKE-188 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A specimen measuring 9.9 x 6.5 x 5.5c cm. It is one of the biggest specimens I have and is composed of three crystals and their overgrowths. Killer piece! 350$
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OKE-107 Calcite Daye Mines, Huangshi, Hubei Prov., China. A 4.5 cm piece with a rider crystals measuring to 2.5 cm. These are nest twins. Contact to one side (back) 85$
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OKE-275 Calcite Twin Huangshaping, Hunan Prov., China. A nice twin crystal which measures approx. 3.5 cm and stands up high on the matrix of other well formed calcites. Great transparency with minor pyrite inclusions in all the crystals. Very light yellow tint to the primary crystals and white color to the tiny crystals coating the matrix rock. Edge damage apparent on backside but none on fronts, sides or to any of the primary crystals. Actually, in excellent condition overall. 6.5 x 6 x 5 cm. 80$
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OKE-230 Calcite Huangshaping, Hunan Prov., China. 2.7 cm rhomb of yellow calcite sits up high on a matrix which is coated by similar smaller calcites and minor pyrite (mostly as inclusions). The calcite is transparent but highly included by internal cleavage planes and some pyrite. Piece is mineralized on base, as well.No damage. Interesting and showy. 40$
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OKE-217 Calcite Wenshan, Yunan Prov., China. Attractive floater specimen with lots of flash. White/ clear translucent/ transparent calcites which on one side of the specimen (back) are large, independent and diverging. The back has one crystal cleaved off. On the other side (the display face) the crystals are overgrown by a second generation of calcites. Display face is damage free. No minor rubs or any other issues. Stands on edge without support. Very attractive specimen. Big discout due to the backside damage which is really minimal and should be seen anyways. 95$
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OKE-197 Calcite on Quartz Yaogangxian Mine, Bai Shi Du, Chen Xhou, Yizhang County, Hunan Prov., China. This is a large cluster of what some describe as pagoda style calcites in stacks on clear quartz crystals. The quartz have dolomite inclusions and are, for the most part, covered by the calcites. The piece is damage free and very aesthetic in form. Entire specimen measures 9.4 x 6.5 x 6.4 cm. Very nice example, and fine value, of this uncommon variety of calcite. 65$
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OKE-207 Calcite, Fluorite, Dolomite and Pyrite on Quartz Yaogangxian Mine, Bai Shi Du, Chen Xhou, Yizhang County, Hunan Prov., China. This is a pair of quartz points coated by calcite and other minerals. The quartz have dolomite inclusions and and a layer of white dolomite on several sides and are, for the most part, covered on the other side by the calcites. There are two purple fluorite of a bout a cm each wich are nearly covered by the calcites. The piece is damage free except for a tiny rub on one calcite and very aesthetic in form. Entire specimen measures 6.5 x 5.3 x 3.5 cm. Very nice specimen that displays well. 70$
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OKE-181 Calcite Xin Guo Mine, Jianxi Prov., China. This is an example of the new calcite being brought to market (mostly by Collectors Edge) this year, 2007. This was one of the very few pieces I found to be displayable and worthy of purchasing. It has a large, 5 plus cm, crystal on a matrix of calcite and quartz covered rock. It is translucent and fine. Back of specimen has an old regrown contact. Excellent display qualities…stands upright perfectly due to its sawn flat base. 250$
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OKE-159 Calcite Shi Meng Realgar Mine, Chang De, Hunan Prov., China. A nice grouping of translucent yellow schalenohedral crystals in an interlocking group. 14 x 8 x 6 cm overall with double terminated crystals to 11 cm each. One tiny burse and one crystal tip gone due to matrix contact. Great luster…I don’t see any realgar inclusions in this one. 70$
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OKE-190 Calcite Wenshan, Yunan Prov., China. Wonderful, snow flake like grouping of crystals. Very complex, translucent to transparent and highly aesthetic piece. After a long inspection with magnification I’ve found one cleaved crystal in base of piece, otherwise this is a complete floater. Magnificent specimen!! 11 x 7.7 x 5 cm. 240$
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OKE-166 Calcite on Quartz Yaogangxian Mine, Bai Shi Du, Chen Xhou, Yizhang County, Hunan Prov., China. An interesting specimen which is composed of two quartz points one of which is exposed (white, translucent and high luster) and the second is totally incased in a ball of calcites. The calcites are a very light cream color and tabular in form. They are layered over the quartz in a nice ball like form. The edges of the crystals are uneven, not damaged. The piece measures 5.5 x 3.1 x 3 cm. Very cool specimen….75$
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OKE-187 Calcite with Stibnite Guang Xi, Hunan Prov., China. This is the older material which put stibnite/ calcite combinations on the mineralogist’s radar. It is possible that this is new material is being found at present but it is more likely that this is simply a recycled piece. I seldom see them available anymore so this is an opportunity for someone to get a has been specimen. It measures 11.5 x 8.1 x 7.3 cm. This is an extremely complex piece being composed of matrix rock, stibnite crystals and sprays of crystals and the single, double terminated crystal which dominates the specimen. It is very gemmy in areas showing of the internal stibnites quite nicely. Some areas look darker but on closer inspection the entire piece is very gemmy. One tiny rub on a corner which is difficult to notice. Here is your chance to own one of these fine specimen instead of just seeing pictures of them in books and journals. Certainly modern day classic material. 975$
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OKE-168 Calcite Twins RESERVED Leiping Mine, Hunan Prov., China. These specimens were never common and now are down right rare. This is a perfectliy balanced piece of the highest luster. 6.5 x 6 x 4.5 cm overall measurements with no wasted space. The butterfly twins stand up nicely as is expected with these specimens. The color ranges from clear to light brown depending on where the inclusions are. The brown matrix is in perfect proportion to the crystals. Biggest crystal has contact with the matrix which should be facing down or back anyways so I consider the piece damage free. A fine and desirable specimen. 1,000$
Stibnite and Pyrite in Calcite
Le Shi Mine, Hunan Prov., China
This is more of what was new this year at Tucson. The mine is now famous for a variety of minerals mineral combinations but this is the first I have heard of these new calcites with stibnite. For calcites these were rather expensive but for stibnite in calcite they are quite the bargain. The disk shaped calcites are gray and translucent. The pyrite forms a Mercedes Benz cross on each crystal with the pyrite being found both internally and externally. The stibnites are thin (acicular) and very similar to some of those found in Romania. They are almost always poorly terminated and in radiating sprays of metallic crystals. Nice new material of which I found a whole 10 specimens (all of which I purchased). Grab one now while the price is right.
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OKE-078 Pyrite in Calcite Le Shi Mine, Hunan Prov., China. This material was new this year with most of the specimen being stibnite and calcite in combination. This is the only specimen I found at Tucson with the pyrite alone as the secondary mineral species. The disk shaped calcites are gray and translucent. The pyrite forms a Mercedes Benz cross on each crystal with the pyrite being found internally and externally both. This fine grouping is composed of about 15 to 20 crystals in parallel growth. 9.5 cm long. Expensive for a calcite but I only saw one grouping of these (approx.) 10 specimens, all of which I purchased. Interesting, damage free (minor contacts on some of the edge crystals) and appears to be rare. 150$
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OKE-093 Stibnite and Pyrite in Calcite Le Shi Mine, Hunan Prov., China. This material was new this year with most of the specimen being stibnite and calcite in combination. The disk shaped calcites are gray and translucent. The pyrite forms a Mercedes Benz cross on each crystal with the pyrite being found internally and externally both. This fine grouping is composed of about half a dozen crystals in parallel growth. In this piece is one primary spray of non-terminated, silver colored stibnites measuring 1.5 cm and others about the same size with fewer of these acicular crystals. 5 cm across. Expensive for a calcite but I only saw one grouping of these (approx.) 10 specimens, all of which I purchased. Interesting, damage free (minor contacts on some of the edge crystals) and appears to be rare. 90$
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OKE-058 Stibnite and Pyrite in Calcite Le Shi Mine, Hunan Prov., China. This material was new this year with most of the specimen being stibnite and calcite in combination. The disk shaped calcites are gray and translucent. The pyrite forms a Mercedes Benz cross on each crystal with the pyrite being found internally and externally both. This fine grouping is composed of several crystals in parallel growth. In this piece two primary sprays of poorly-terminated, silver colored stibnites measuring 3 cm and 2 cm respectively. 6.5 x 5.5 x 3 cm overall. Expensive for a calcite but I only saw one grouping of these (approx.) 10 specimens, all of which I purchased. Interesting and damage free except for several contacts on some of the crystal edges. 85$
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