Mineral collection: September 2023 haul

Fig. 1 - September 2023 haul: From left to right, top to bottom - Muscovite mica, labradorite, malachite, kyanite, vanadinite, malachite tumble, serpentine tumble, smoky quartz, heat treated amethyst (commonly sold as 'citrine'), and ox's eye. Plus a fluorite pendant that's not pictured here!

   And another haul post in my mineralogy series incoming ✨💎! This time hailing from September 2023 at a local annual Medieval fair  - Featuring 11 pieces from three different stands (see Fig. 1 above, as well as Figs. 1 above and 2-5 below) 😁👌 - From the first stand (Figs. 6-9) I got three raw pieces (kyanite, muscovite (common mica), and heat treated amethyst (HTA), which is sold masquerading as 'citrine' quartz 99.9% of the time) and three tumbles (malachite, serpentine and ox's eye); from the second stall (Figs. 10-13) I got two more pieces (a labradorite slab and a smoky quartz cluster), and well as a fluorite pendant; and finally, I got the last two pieces (raw malachite and vanadinite) at the last stall, which mainly sold Moroccan minerals.  

Fig. 2 - September 2023 haul: Including all pieces listed in Fig. 1 and the fluorite pendant.

Fig. 3 - All minerals from the haul, minus the fluorite pendant, in the Sun (just for the picture, don't keep your minerals in the Sun as some will lose their colour and/or deteriorate faster!).

Fig. 4 - All minerals from the haul, minus the fluorite pendant, in the Sun

Fig. 5 - All minerals from the haul, minus the fluorite pendant, in the Sun

  With this haul I got my first piece of raw malachite, my first muscovite specimen (if we do not count rocks which contain mica, such as granite), my second vanadinite, my first smoky quartz cluster (and it is such a gorgeous one!), and also my first actual labradorite slab, one of my fave pieces from this haul ✨ (the specimen from the RBA collection is not only much smaller but also pretty lackluster on the labradorescence colourfest department 😅).

✨Also, here below is a compilation video with all of these new pieces together (also on TikTok here, and bonus slideshow post here; and see longer videos for each of them below as well!):

  Before going for an extensive image gallery with all of these new pieces, let's talk a bit about the stalls and my general experience at the Medieval fair, mineralogy-wise! I only took pics of the first two stands I visited, not of the third, unfortunately, though, but here are some pictures from the first two ✨💎:

Fig. 6 - Choosing pieces at the first stall (left) and enjoying the personal tradition of getting freshly fried chips at the fair 😁.

 The first stall (Figs. 6-9) offered quite a lot of minerals, from jewellery, geodes and clusters, some towers and the like, to a large variety of tumbled stones and small rough pieces organized individually in a very nice way, colourful and organized -  stands like this are the candy store experience of going mineral hunting xD! So I did have a blast selecting the first six pieces of the haul 😁.  Most of these were also legit minerals, with fewer dyed, treated or artificial minerals mixed in with the others, as compared to other mineral stands (and even shops) that I've seen, which is a pro. Still, they did have some treated minerals (without labelling them as such), particularly the infamous heat treated amethyst widely marketed as citrine - of which I did get a piece because I do enjoy it as well sometimes 😅 - but I wish shops and stalls would label it accordingly, because natural citrine it is not.

Fig 7 - Most of the minerals in the first stand were organized in a very nice and colourful manner and mostly included legit minerals with relativdely few treated or artificial specimens.

Fig 8 - However, the stand was sprinkled liberally with a good share of pseudoscientific woo-woo, both regarding the labelling (listing all the supposed properties for both physical (ew) and spiritual health), and also present in other spiritually-oriented products, some 'crystal healing' books, and the Tibetan bowl the vendor used to 'cleanse' all minerals upon purchase 😅. Ah well.

Fig. 9 - Get yourself some volcanic rhyolite for 'veins, eruptions - they're totally talking about geology here, right?? -, and, um, kidney stones' 🙃🤔!

  The main con I would mention about this first stand (and also the second one, to a lesser degree) is, of course, the all-encompassing 'crystal healing' pseudoscientific mumbo jumbo typically present in most of these mineral stands (pseudoscience in the mineral world is the biggest win of capitalism in this area, after all, apart from the jewellery industry), which for me is as frustrating as it is amusing. I do end up taking pictures not only to include them in these haul posts and to browse all of the minerals in more detail at home (am I a mineralogy nerd? Yes I am xD),...but also to laugh (and eyeroll) at all the supposed magical properties listed for each of the mineral specimens for sale 😅🙃. This stand was sprinkled very liberally with a good share of this pseudoscientific woo-woo, especially regarding the labelling - Each box listed all the supposed properties for both physical (ew) and spiritual health provided by each mineral, all of it with 0% scientific basis and more than one potential health hazard. While it can be amusing to read how a tumble supposedly heals all of your ailments and life problems in general, as I further rant in my first mineralogy post on here, my main source of frustration (and anger) at the 'crystal healing' business is the fact that it's not only supposed spiritual benefits that are advertised here (which is sketchy enough), it's also actual physical health benefits, and that makes me pretty furious because some people may actually believe that and choose a decorative rock over actual medical care 😬. But ah well. At least I had a good inner laugh (after some initial befuddlement) at the fact that both the vendor from this stall and from the second one 'cleansed' my purchases with a Tibetan singing bowl before handing them to me 😅🤣.

  While the second stall (Figs. 10-13) also indulged in the practice of Tibetan bowl-ing 😅, it included way less pseudoscientific mumbo-jumbo, with the labels limiting themselves to telling us what most of the minerals were (yay). This one was also my personal favourite, because will you look at how pretty it was all organized by colour and mineral type, this was definitely one of the most beautiful mineral stalls I've ever been at, for sure 🤩✨! The quality of the pieces was also very nice overall, from gorgeous labradorite and fluorite slabs, to quartz specimens of different varieties (amethyst, rock crystal, rose quartz, smoky quartz, rutilated quartz, citrine, green aventurine, quartz with tourmaline, Tiger's Eye, carnelian, blue chalcedony, red jasper, and leopardskin jasper), malachite, pyrite, moonstone (white labradorite), unakite, lapis lazuli, sodalite, amazonite, aquamarine, howlite, opalite (artificial), satin spar (gypsum variety, usually incorrectly marketed as 'selenite'), obsidian, black onyx, jet, black tourmaline, and shungite.

Fig. 10 - The second mineral stall was so beautifully organized, all by colour and mineral type 🤩. Here featuring (from top to bottom, left to right): Labradorite, unakite, carnelian, red jasper, leopard jasper, amethyst, fluorite, pyrite, citrine (and lemon quartz), moonstone, aquamarine, green aventurine, malachite, shungite, agate, rutilated quartz, Tiger's Eye, amazonite, lapis lazuli, jet, smoky quartz, snowflake obsidian, sodalite, blue lace agate (chalcedony), black onyx, black tourmaline, tourmalinated quartz, and black obsidian. Quite a hefty collection!

Fig. 10 - The right part of the second stall, featuring (from top to bottom, left to right): Rose quartz, quartz geodes, satin spar ("selenite"), opalite (synthetic 'opal'), rock crystal, and howlite.

Fig. 11 - The second stall, a closer look at the top-left section.

Fig. 12 - The second stall, a closer look at the bottom left section.

 There was even some natural citrine, which is quite the surprise in most mineral stands and shops! Not 100% sure that all of it is natural, some might be irradiated (there's possibly some lemon quartz in there, the trade name for irradiated clear quartz), but yeah, it's always a very nice surprise when you spot something other than heat treated amethyst (HTA from now on) labelled as citrine, and many of these pieces do look pretty legit to me, either citrine or smoky citrine for sure!

Fig. 13 - Citrine, smoky citrine and possibly some lemon quartz in the second stall. This time there was no HTA amethyst in sight! Although irradiated rock crystal (trade name 'lemon quartz') is often to be found among the natural citrines as well, especially when polished (see the bigger sphere on the left as the primary suspect).

 

  And finally, here's for the hefty picture spam, the main highlight of this post apart from some brief descriptions of each piece 🤩💎✨. I typically expand on each of the minerals in my collection and show all specimens together in my National Geographic/RBA collection series in this blog (unless any haul minerals happen to not appear on that collection). So, in this case, I'll be expanding a bit on muscovite mica here (as the RBA series features several minerals in the mica group, namely lepidolite (Li-rich mica), fuchsite (green muscovite), biotite (black mica) and golden mica, but not muscovite/common mica per se), while in future installments of this series I'll be writing in more detail about kyanite, citrine (both natural and treated), malachite, vanadinite, serpentine, smoky quartz, and labradorite. The rest have already featured in existing posts of the RBA series, as follows:

✨Post 1: Quartz (general introduction), ox's eye and fluorite.

✨Post 2: General info about the mica group and muscovite.

 

1) Kyanite:  

Fig. 14 - A specimen of kyanite, displaying its most characteristic colour, a blue that ranges from brighter cyan (thus the name) to a deeper greyish-blue, transitioning into grey and white tones.

  This piece (Figs. 14-18) became my second kyanite (an aluminosilicate mineral), alongside the specimen from the RBA collection. This one is a bit larger than the piece from the kiosk collection, though, and showcases its characteristic blue colour much better, ranging from paler cyan tones to deeper greyish blues, and also transitioning into grey and white tones in different zones of the elongated bladed crystals (the most typical habit for this mineral). Another thing that I really like about kyanite is it's beautiful pearly luster, especially on the cleavage surfaces, something which you can really see in the video  below, alongside the lovely blue tones of this piece.  

✨Kyanite will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 15 - A specimen of kyanite, displaying its most characteristic colour, a blue that ranges from brighter cyan (thus the name) to a deeper greyish-blue, transitioning into grey and white tones.

Fig. 16 - Kyanite, front and back of this piece

Fig. 17 - Kyanite, side (above) and front (below)

Fig. 18 - Kyanite, front (above) and back (below)

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post): 

2) Muscovite (common mica):  

Fig. 19 - The muscovite mica specimen from the haul, with its characteristic platy habit and silvery-white pearly sheen

  While I've had several rocks with common mica in them for years (see the infographic below), this was my first piece of muscovite on its own. I chose a very interesting looking piece with the characteristic platy habit of mica and a cave of sorts on one side. This piece displays the typical white and silvery-grey tones of muscovite, with a lovely pearly luster, and is also slightly tinted yellowish and brownish in some places. The colour is a little hard to pinpoint in some pictures because the mica crystals are so shiny that the tones of the piece actually varied pretty drastically depending on what was being reflected off the muscovite xD. The video  below also showcases the shape, hues and especially the sheen of this piece, and as you can see at the end, you have to be especially careful when handling mica, as it's really delicate and you will end up with fairy mica dust all over your fingers ✨😅!

✨Read more about the mica group in the second post of the RBA mineral collection series on this blog.   

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post): 

  Seeing as muscovite mica per se doesn't feature on the RBA kiosc collection (although some minerals from the mica group do appear, such as fuchsite, biotite, lepidolite or golden mica), I will be talking about this mineral with a bit more detail here below. But firstly, here are some pictures, featuring the new specimen from this haul (Figs. 19-24):

Fig. 20 - The muscovite mica specimen from the haul,  front and back.

Fig. 21 - Muscovite mica exhibits a distinctive lamellar habit with shiny foliated plates.

Fig. 22 - Muscovite mica piece, details. The characteristic pearly luster of muscovite often reflects the surrounding colours, as is the case here against the warm brown background.

Fig. 23 - Muscovite mica piece, featuring a cave on one side with darker-coloured plates.

Fig. 24 - Muscovite mica piece, in brighter light.

 And also here are some rocks from my existing collection which contain common mica and that I collected at local mountainside outings quite a few years ago (Figs. 25-33): Igneous rocks such as granite and granitic pegmatites, coarse-grained rocks composed primarily of quartz, feldspar and mica (both black biotite and silver muscovite) (Figs. 26-30), as well as metamorphic rocks like schist, medium-grained rocks which display a pronounced and characteristic 'squistose' texture, as a result of minerals such as quartz and feldspar being interleaved with a high content of platy micas and other foliated minerals such as graphite, talc or chlorite (Figs. 31-32):

Fig. 25 - The new muscovite mica alongside some assorted rocks containing mica (such as granite, granitic pegmatite, and schist), from several local outings over the years.

Fig. 26 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: (pegmatitic) granite, an igneous rock composed of quartz, feldspar and a mix of biotite and silver-coloured muscovite mica.

Fig. 27 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: Granitic pegmatite with quartz, feldspar, muscovite mica, and what looks like a bit of black tourmaline as well. In granite pegmatites, muscovite is often found in large crystals with a pseudohexagonal outline.

Fig. 28 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: Granitic pegmatite with quartz, feldspar, muscovite mica, and what looks like a bit of black tourmaline as well. 

Fig. 29 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: a large pegmatitic granite with quartz, feldspar and muscovite mica.

Fig. 30 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: Granitic pegmatite with quartz, pink feldspar and muscovite mica.

Fig. 31 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: Schist, a foliated metamorphic rock composed mainly of micas and quartz. This piece displays the characteristic scaly 'schitose' texture caused by the platy mica.

Fig. 32 - Common mica in rocks I found locally quite a few years ago: Also what looks like a small schist, with quite a lot of muscovite.

Fig. 33 - Identifying my igneous and metamorphic rocks with mica.

 💎A bit about muscovite mica: Source 1,  Source 2, Source 3, Source 4, Source 5, Source 6

 - Muscovite (also known as common mica, potash mica, white mica, isinglass, and Muscovy glass) is a hydrated phyllosilicate ('sheet silicate') mineral composed of aluminium (Al) and potassium (K), with the chemical formula of KAl₂(AlSi₃O₁₀)(F,OH)₂. It is the most common member of the mica group, a group of 37 transluscent-to-transparent phyllosilicates with a tendency for a pseudohexagonal crystal shape,  a distinctive vitreous or pearly luster, and their main defining characteristic: perfect basal cleavage, with individual mica crystals being very easily split into incredibly thin flexible sheets or flakes along their structural planes. The reason why mica minerals can be so easily separated into very thin sheets stems from their crystal structure, where Al silicate sheets are weakly bound together by layers of positive ions (typically K), with the chemical bonds between sheets being much weaker than those within sheets.

Fig. 34 - Muscovite infographic (Source)

  Individual members in the mica group show different colours, from purple and rosy (lepidolite), to black (biotite) or green (fuchsite). Muscovite is the lightest coloured member in the mica group, typically silver-white or colourless, although thinner muscovite sheets can also be tinted brown, yellow, pink or green by various impurities. The chromium-rich green variety of muscovite is called fuchsite (also see this blog post in this series). 

  Muscovite is a very common and widespread rock-forming mineral frequently found in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks (see Figs. 25-30  above). Although it does not occur in other igneous rocks, muscovite mica is a significant component of most granites and granitic pegmatites, associated with quartz, potassium feldspars, biotite, chlorite and amphibole minerals, as well as beryl and tourmaline in the case of pegmatites. It is also very common in metamorphic  schists, accounting for the shiny luster and foliated appearance of these rocks, and also contributes to the lighter-coloured bands in metamorphic gneisses. Small pieces of muscovite can also survive weathering to become part of fine-grained sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone, intermixed in an undifferentiated way with other mica and clay minerals.

✨Some interesting history and STEM trivia about muscovite mica:  

•  Etymology of 'mica': As a name, 'mica' was used in mineralogy by 1706 comes from the Latin word mica "crumb, grain, bit", which is sometimes also associated with Ancient Greek μικρός (mikros) "small". This name was applied to the mineral by possible association with the Latin verb micare "to glitter", due to the glittering appearance of this mineral family. "Isinglass", originally only referring to thin sheets made from gelatine obtained from sturgeons and other fish (for use as an adhesive and clarifying agent), predates the use of "mica" as a mineral term since at least 1535. This was probably due to the similarity of the thin, transparent sheets of mica to true isinglass. As a result of its higher resistance to heat compared to glass, thin sheets of mica were frequently used for small windows in stoves, furnaces and lanterns (and also horse-drawn carriages), and these were typically referred to as 'isinglass peepholes'.

  

  Fig. 35 - Muscovy glass windows (Source)

•  Etymology of 'muscovite': The association between 'mica' and 'isinglass' also probably stems from some confusion with 'Muscovy glass', a term given to glazing made from thin, transparent mica sheets, as a cheaper alternative to glass in windows, and chiefly produced since Medieval times in Muscovy, the Caspian Sea Region of Russia. The usage of this term because commonspread in Elizabethan England after appearing mentioned in 1568 in letters by George Turberville, the secreatary of the English ambassador to the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible.
  

• Muscovite windows:  As just mentioned above, one of the main early uses of muscovite was to create window panes as a substitute for glass, due to the ability of mica to be cleaved into very thin, transparent sheets of differing sizes. For centuries, India and Eastern Europe routinely used large sheets of muscovite for windows in homes and other buildings. Common mica was especially mined for this use from pegmatite veins in the Russian area around Moscow, since Medieval times and well into the 1700s (hence the name "muscovy glass", as we just saw). Even when many windows were already being replaced as a result of the glass industry becoming commonplace, the higher thermal resistance of muscovite meant that it was continued to be used for "isinglass windows" in furnaces and ovens until quite recently, when synthetic materials finally led to its replacement.

Fig. 36 - Muscovite can be easily separated into thin, flexible sheets

• Other uses: While modern society does no longer use common mica for windows, this mineral's perfect cleavage, flexible nature and excellent insulating properties against both heat and electricity mean that it is still commonplace in the electric and construction industries, appearing in the manufacture of a wide variety of electronics (mainly for insulating purposes in condensers and heating elements); ground up as a filler for paints, drywalls and roofing material, or to give a pearly luster to wallpaper; and in the production of various automobile parts, among other uses. Muscovite flakes are also frequently used in cosmetics, adding sparkles, shimmer and the characteristic pearlescent luster of mica to various products such as eyeshadow, lipstick, highlighter and nail polish, and the same principle applies to (edible) food decorations. For more information on the uses and history of the mica family see here and here!

✨Finally, an infographic video on muscovite mica, including mineralogy facts and historical trivia (also on TikTok here):   

3) Fluorite pendant: 

Fluorite has been one of my fave minerals for a good while, and this 'rainbow' fluorite pendant (Figs. 37-40, and the video below) is particularly lovely, a polished piece that may look predominantly medium-to-dark green with a dark purple zone in certain lightings, but against the light then shows a striking and really lovely banded array of greens, purples and light blue 🤩✨. It's difficult to choose because fluorite is one of my all-time favouite minerals, but I think this may be my fave fluorite pendant alongside the (now four xD) fluorite pendants in my collection:

 

✨Read more about fluorite in the first post of the RBA mineral collection series on this blog.   

Fig. 37 - A polished fluorite pendant with beautiful banding in green, purple and blue tones.

Fig. 38 - A polished fluorite pendant with beautiful banding in green, purple and blue tones.

Fig. 39 - A polished fluorite pendant with beautiful banding in green, purple and blue tones.

Fig. 40 - A polished fluorite pendant with beautiful banding in green, purple and blue tones. In certain lightings, it looks a more homoegeneous blue-green, but in reality it has a lot of shades and banding going on.

 

Fig. 41 - A polished fluorite pendant with beautiful banding in green, purple and blue tones (indoors lighting, night-time).

 

Fig. 42 - The fluorite pendant alongside other green pendants in my collection (here featuring two green fluorites, emerald and peridot).

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post): 

4) Labradorite:  

  Labradorite, the feldspar mineral popularly known for its striking labradorescence (an example of Schiller effect, an optical phenomenon resulting in an iridiscent array of colours on the surface of a mineral as a result of light reflecting off alternating internal layers and/or inclusions) has very quickly become one of my fave minerals, mainly because of its beautiful play of colours, which, depending on the specimen, can vary from different shades and combinations of blue, yellow, green, purple, red and orange. My first ever labradorite was the small, raw piece with little flash (😅) from the RBA collection, but this beautiful specimen (Figs. 43-46) was my first labradorite proper, and also my first labradorite slab. I just love the combination of yellow and blue flash (plus a bit of orange and a hint of green at the back) 🤩✨!  

✨Labradorite will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 43 - Labradorite slab with beautiful flash in blues and yellows (front and back) 🤩💙💛 

Fig. 44 - Labradorite slab with beautiful flash in blues and yellows 🤩💙💛

Fig. 45 - Labradorite slab with beautiful flash in blues and yellows 🤩💙💛

Fig. 46 - Labradorite slab with beautiful flash in blues and yellows 🤩💙💛

✨A couple of videos showcasing the beautiful colour play in blues and yellows on both sides of this labradorite slab (also on TikTok here and here; bonus slideshow post):  

 

5) Heat-treated amethyst (HTA), aka 'citrine':  

  Heat-treated amethyst (HTA), aka the "citrine" we will too often find in the market, is an infamous topic in the mineral world. While our personal enjoyment of HTA per se naturally depends on our specific likes, my main problem with this issue is the fact that citrine - the yellow variety of quartz - is so commonly mislabelled in the market, and it's an issue full of desinformation, lack of transparency and unethical practices 😕👎.  Most of the 'citrine' sold in the market is not  natural citrine to begin with, but either HTA, iron-included quartz, or irradiated quartz (originally clear or smoky). Out of these, HTA by fair is the most common 'citrine' dupe, and HTA is hardly ever sold as what it really is: typically low-grade amethyst (in geode, druse or point form) heated to a temperature of more than 300-400 degrees celsius, at which point the purple hues of amethyst change into yellow-orange and brown (see Fig. 47, and also see the first post in the RBA series): 

 

Fig. 47 -  Changes in color of amethyst by UV radiation (top, right) and heat treatment (down, right). Note how the purple of the low-grade amethyst (bottom, left) turns to intense orange-yellow tones (bottom, right), while the purple tones (top, left) of this variety turn practically white when irradiated (top, right) Source. 

 

  Natural citrine is a quartz variety that is considerably rarer than amethyst (or clear quartz, or smoky quartz), and so HTA is of course way more affordable, even if it doesn't ressemble natural citrine all that much when you find out what natural citrine actually looks like (see Figs. 48-9). Although both are quartz varieties, amethyst and natural citrine have different chemical make-ups, to begin with, and colour-wise, there's also a very clear difference between natural citrine, typically showcasing more homogeneous and less intense yellow tones, more champagne than bright yellow (see Fig. 48; although deeper and smokier tones also do exist among the Zambian and Congo citrine varieties, for example, as in Fig. 49); and the intense orange-yellows with a stark white base contrast characteristic of HTA (sometimes veering on a very burnt dark-orangey brown, depending on how you let the amethyst to cook - these tones are commonly derisively but also fittingly called 'burnt/crispy amethyst' 😅). Not to mention that we also find amethyst and citrine in characteristically different crystal habits and formations: you will never find natural citrine in the characteristic geodes or druzys that amethyst is so commonly found as. It rather forms as individual points or as clusters of larger crystals, or candle cluster formations (with larger crystals surrounded by smaller points) (see Fig. 48).

Fig. 48 - Three of my Congo natural citrines, featuring more uniform and lighter champagne yellow tones, and the characteristic formations and habits of natural citrine: Candle cluster (left), an individual point (top, right), and a cluster of larger crystals (bottom, right).

Fig. 49 - Various natural citrines at the 2024 Natura Madrid mineral show: Featuring a lovely Congo smoky citrine (top, left), more Congo citrine in lighter champagne tones (top, right and bottom, left), some Zambian points with a more intense orange-yellow colour (bottom, centre), and some tumbles (bottom, right).

  

  While I very much prefer natural citrine myself, I actually also happen to enjoy some pieces of HTA, so I did get a HTA point as part of this haul (see Figs. 50-52 below). In my personal opinion, this point has some lovely orange-yellow tones that compliment the piece well (some pieces are so burnt or garish is so much more difficult to find the aesthetic value 😅). The clarity is also very nice, and it has some iridescence going on in a couple of places ✨🌈 (commonly - but technically incorrectly - called "rainbows" as a whole, these are actually interference colour patterns as a result of light rays reflecting off  and scattering when encountering internal fractures and layers of the crystal). 

 

✨Citrine quartz will also feature in both future installments of my RBA mineral collection series and its very own masterpost, which will primarily focus on detailing all the differences between natural citrine and the treated quartz varieties (amethyst, smoky quartz) commonly sold as citrine in the mineral market. 

Fig. 50 - A heat-treated amethyst (HTA) point with the characteristic white base and orange-yellow tones at the tip.

Fig. 51 - A heat-treated amethyst (HTA) point. This piece has a quite lovely clarity and tones (for those who like them!).

Fig. 52 -  A heat-treated amethyst (HTA) point.

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post):  

6) Smoky quartz:  

   I got my first smoky quartz cluster at this fair (now I have a few, but back then I just had a couple of small smoky quartz pieces pieces with a massive habit, no visible crystals)! It's such a beautiful piece, featuring a larger (pyramidal prismatic) crystal surrounded by smaller ones (see Figs. 53-55). The tones in this piece range from white to transluscent and transparent lighter browns, to a darker tone at the tips. 

 

   While variations/gradations in tone and very dark (nearly black) smoky quartz do exist naturally (the first instance being much more common), many smoky quartzs in the mineral market are also heat treated to a greater or lesser degree to intensify and darken the brown/dark tones of this variety. This piece mostly looks pretty natural, but as it also showcases pretty dark tips, it has probably also been heat treated at least moderately to achieve a stronger gradation of tone. This is something that I  also enjoy, depending on the piece, although I typically prefer natural smoky quartzs. My only qualm in this matter, similarly to the citrine issue, is that the fact that many smoky quartz pieces are heat treated is typically undisclosed when selling, although, contrary to HTA and irradiated smoky quartz sold as 'citrine', these are all still correctly labelled as smoky quartz, so that's something xD.

✨Smoky quartz will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 53 - A smoky quartz cluster with a larger crystal surrounded by several smaller ones, with a colour gradation that goes from white to lighter brownish tones to a darker tone at the tips (potentially enhanced via heat treatments). 

Fig. 54 - A smoky quartz cluster with a larger crystal surrounded by several smaller ones, with a colour gradation that goes from white to lighter brownish tones to a darker tone at the tips (potentially enhanced via heat treatments). 

Fig. 55 - A smoky quartz cluster with a larger crystal surrounded by several smaller ones, with a colour gradation that goes from white to lighter brownish tones to a darker tone at the tips (potentially enhanced via heat treatments). 

 

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post):  

 

7) Malachite:  

  This haul also included two malachites - a green-banded mineral in the copper minerals family -, my fisr raw specimen, from Morocco (see Figs. 56-60), and a tumble (Figs. 61-63). These two pieces joined my expanding collection of the copper minerals group (one of my faves to collect), alongside the stunning azurite with malachite from the May 2023 haul. Before getting these pieces, I just had a small tumbled malachite, I think (and the specimen from the RBA collection was very, very subpar as well) - so I'm happy I found these! 

 

  The tumbled stone (Figs. 61-63), quite larger than the one I already had, exhibits some beautiful 'bullseye' concentric patterns on one side, very characteristic of malachite, as well as some more banding on the other. The raw specimen (Figs. 56-60), on a matrix of what looks like iron-stained quartz and goethite, is also quite beautiful, featuring a mass of small crystal aggregates and also some areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a lovely silky luster (this habit is also commonly known as 'velvet malachite' due to its luster). This piece additionally includes some tiny quartz crystal points peppered throughout the malachite, and also a little bit of azurite in some parts - azurite and malachite, as further discussed here, do tend to be found together in the same geological settings, and both of them comprise the two common basic copper (II) carbonate variations, with azurite being more unstable and often being replaced by malachite over time.

✨Malachite will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 56 - Malachite specimen from Morocco, with small crystal aggregates and areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a silky luster ('velvet malachite').

Fig. 57 - Malachite specimen from Morocco, on a matrix of goethite and iron-stained quartz, with small crystal aggregates and areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a silky luster ('velvet malachite').

Fig. 58 - Malachite specimen from Morocco, with small crystal aggregates and areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a silky luster ('velvet malachite').

Fig. 59 - Malachite specimen from Morocco, with small crystal aggregates and areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a silky luster ('velvet malachite').

Fig. 60 - Malachite specimen from Morocco, with small crystal aggregates and areas with fibrous radiating crystals with a silky luster ('velvet malachite'). Also note the small specks on azurite at the side.

Fig. 61 - Malachite tumbled stone, with characteristic 'bullseye' concentric patterns and banding.

Fig. 62 - Malachite tumbled stone, with characteristic 'bullseye' concentric patterns and banding.

Fig. 63 - Malachite tumbled stone, with characteristic 'bullseye' concentric patterns and banding.

 

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post): 

8) Serpentinite:  

 This was also my first tumbled serpentinite (Figs. 64-5), apart from a raw piece from the RBA series. Serpentinite (oftentimes simply called 'serpentine', although this is not wholly correct) is a metamorphic rock containing the green, brownish and spotted minerals in the serpentine group (lizardite, antigorite and chrysotile), so called because of the green colour and smooth scaly appearance of many of these pieces. This one has a really pretty light yellowish-green and a really interesting pattern!

✨Serpentinite will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 64 - Serpentinite tumble, with a light yellowish-green green and a really interesting pattern.

Fig. 65 - Serpentinite tumble, with a light yellowish-green green and a really interesting pattern.

 

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post):    

9) Vanadinite:  

  At this fair I also got my second vanadinite specimen (Figs. 66-70), after snagging my first one at the May 2023 mineral fair. Both specimens are from Morocco (same as the raw malachite in this haul). This vanadinite is larger than my other piece, with beautiful hexagonal crystals, and also a bit darker in hue, a brownish red as opposed to the brighter orange-red of my first specimen.

✨Vanadinite will also feature in future installments of my RBA mineral collection series!

Fig. 66 - A vanadinite specimen showcasing beautiful brownish-red hexagonal crystals.

Fig. 67 - A vanadinite specimen showcasing beautiful brownish-red hexagonal crystals.

Fig. 68 - A vanadinite specimen showcasing beautiful brownish-red hexagonal crystals.

Fig. 69 - A vanadinite specimen showcasing beautiful brownish-red hexagonal crystals.

Fig. 70 - A vanadinite specimen showcasing beautiful brownish-red hexagonal crystals.

 

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post):  

 

10) Ox's Eye:  

 And last but not least is my first tumble of 'Ox's Eye' (Figs. 71-2), the red variety of Tiger's Eye. Ox's Eye can occur naturally, but it is typically created artificially by heating Tiger's Eye specimens, as a result of which part of its iron content is transfomed into hematite, which has a naturally red streak. Tiger's Eye displays chatoyancy ('cat's eye effect'), an optical reflectance effect which shows a single and sharply defined band of light moving across the stone when it is rotated and moved back and forth in incident light

✨Read more about Ox's Eye and Tiger's Eye in this post from my RBA mineral collection series on this blog.   

Fig. 71 - A tumbled Ox's Eye, the heated red variety of Tiger's Eye, showing beautiful tones and chatoyancy.

Fig. 72 - A tumbled Ox's Eye, the heated red variety of Tiger's Eye, showing beautiful tones and chatoyancy.

✨Video (also on TikTok here; bonus slideshow post): 

💎Former mineral haul and show posts💎:

✨May 2023 haul

✨December 2023 haul

✨Expominerales 2024 show

✨Expo Natura 2024 show