Cobaltite #COB0001 Hakansboda, Lindesberg, Vastmanland, Sweden 14.4 mm x 10.8 mm x 9.6 mm $350 Order this Specimen
Description:	This is a magnificent crystal for the species!  Cobaltite from this locale is famous for its well-formed pyritohedral crystals.  Unfortunately crystals such as this one of such quality and size are quite scarce, and come around only when old collections get broken up.  This crystal has amazing luster, and shows evidence of twinning, in that it is actually a compound crystal from one angle, and looks like single crystal from another angle.  Just an awesome specimen, and I have seen crystals of this quality for over $1,000, so don't miss out!

Cumengite #CMG0001 Amelia Mine, Boleo, Santa Rosalia Baja California, Mexico 9.7 mm x 5.7 mm x 6.6 mm $235 SOLD
Description:	Not many minerals can compare in color to the rich indigo blue of cumengite and boleite.  Usually when we see cumengite, it has formed as an overgrowth on boleite, creating those amazing little six-pointed stars that cumengite is famous for.  But here, we have an VERY rare situation ... there is no boleite!  And the cumengite is actually a single, doubly-terminated crystal!  There was recently one for sale from the Charlie Key collection of similar size for a four-figure price.  This crystal shows one area of attachment but can easily be displayed in a thumbnail collection with that part hidden.  This is a rare crystal, trust me.  I thought about keeping it for myself since I will probably never find another like it ... but alas, here it is for you!

Shigaite #SHG0001 N'Chwaning II Mine, Kalahari Mn field South Africa 27.9 mm x 24.4 mm x 9.9 mm $40 Order this Specimen
Description:	If you want a representative sample of shigaite, this is a neat little specimen.  The shigaite crystals are scattered on a matrix of sparkly pink rhodochrosite.  The crystals do not exceed about 3mm, but they look great under a scope, and are easily seen with the unaided eye.  They have the typical golden reddish-brown color with an almost metallic shine.  And really, when you display this piece and rotate it the light, the sparkle of the rhodos is lovely, and it is a good sample for the rare species of shigaite.

Simpsonite #SMP0001 Alto do Giz, Brazil 18.0 mm x 12.3 mm x 11.6 mm $295 Order this Specimen
Description:	Now this is something you don't see everyday!  The best crystals in the world for this rare species come from this locale in Brazil.  I have seen numerous samples of this species from Alto do Giz, and this is by far the most complete crystal I have come across.  It shows many natural crystal faces, some gemmy areas, and has the neatest butterscotch-yellow color.  It is also very dense.  Simpsonite is unique in that it is a translucent mineral with a density over 6 grams/cm3, quite high!  This is a very unusual specimen, and a super opportunity!

Boleite w/ Pseudoboleite #BOL0002 Amelia Mine, Boleo, Santa Rosalia Baja California, Mexico 9.9 mm x 9.8 mm x 9.6 mm $625 Order this Specimen
Description:	Wow, this is a HUGE boleite!  Not your typical 3-5mm cubic crystal!  This one is almost 1 cm in size across the crystal faces (technically it is over 1 cm if you measured it diagonally, but that would be cheating!).  It has one point of attachment that does not detract much.  There is evidence of octahedral modifications on some corners, and a slight overgrowth of pseudoboleite.  Sorry about the pics, they are not perfectly focused!  I have trouble photographing these for some reason!  Maybe it's because there are slightly translucent on the surface so the camera does not know where to focus?  Anyway, it is what it is, a large example of thie popular rare species, and you will hardly ever find another in this size for less that $1,000.  Former Conklin specimen.

Xenotime #XEN0001 Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil 22.3 mm x 10.0 mm x 9.3 mm $185 Order this Specimen
Description:	Xenotime from Brazil is not super rare per se.  But I purchased this for my collection awhile back because it is not your typical Brazilian xenotime!  Most crystals from this locale are single crystals, less than 2cm in size.  But this specimen has character!  It is probably competition-worthy for a xenotime specimen, as it consists of many crystals with great complex terminations, arranged together into a gorgeous cluster.  You can see the inclusions of golden rutile crystals that reflect the light all over.  Just a wonderful piece, maybe not the largest, but definitely the nicest Brazilian xenotime I have owned.

Boleite #BOL0001 Amelia Mine, Boleo, Santa Rosalia Baja California, Mexico 8.5 mm x 5.0 mm x 4.2 mm $95 Order this Specimen
Description:	Another boleite?  Well, not just any boleite.  Again, I apologize for the focus on the pics, but this is a neat specimen for sure.  Usually boleite forms in equant cubic crystals (or pseudocubic to be technical) but this is an elongated crystal of very respectable size at over 8mm.  It has the typical luster and color for boleite, but it is shaped more like a tiny shoebox, rectangular with a cubic cross section.  This is a cool thumbnail, and if you want a unique and affordable sample of this species, here it is!

Sperrylite #SPY0001 Oktyabr'skoye Cu-Ni Deposit (Oktyabr'sk Deposit), Taimyr Peninsula, Eastern Siberian Region, Russia 14.3 mm x 11.6 mm x 10.1 mm $350 SOLD
Description:	I'll admit it, my pics stink on this one.  Perhaps I am being too hard on myself.  Maybe you can't tell, but I realized after the fact that I didn't even capture the best angles!  This specimen is much better in person, and if you have been hunting for an affordable example of this highly rare and sought after platinum arsenide, then look no further!  The specimen consists of two main crystals showing cubic form with octahedral modifications.  The luster is like a mirror, like shiny aluminum foil, just outstanding.  The specimens was obviously trimmed to remove any matrix, and therefore the back is not crystallized.  But that is not detracting.  It is a great example for the species, and one you will not often find on the market.

Serendibite #SND0001 Mogok, Myanmar 7.2 mm x 7.6 mm x 6.9 mm $250 Order this Specimen
Description:	This is a fabulous little crystal of a species that is almost always cut into gems, whether opaque or not.  Some crystals of serendibite from Myanmar show internal gemminess or translucency, often a deep blue-green color, but rarely are they this well terminated.  I purchased this crystal for my collection not because of its color (blue-black) or clarity per se (it is opaque), but because it is a virtually complete crystal.  It shows one point of attachment at the base, but for the most part, it is naturally faceted all around, as you can see in the pictures.  If you have been looking for a great crystal of serendibite, then look no further!  There are hard to get!

Kovdorskite #KOV0001 Kovdor Mine, Kola Peninsula, Russia 24.9 mm x 16.2 mm x 14.8 mm $75 SOLD
Description:	This is a very nice, icy blue crystalline spray of kovdorskite on matrix.  I have seen complete crystals from this locale, but they are usually colorless.  But this is an attractive thumbnail for the species.  The color is better in person.  An affordable sample for sure, and one that would look great in any rare species or thumbnail collection!

Stibiotantalite #SBT0001 Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande District San Diego Co., CA, USA 13.2 mm x 12.6 mm x 4.5 mm $225 Order this Specimen
Description:	This is great thumbnail of this super-rare species, and this is by far the best locale for stibiotantalite crystals.  The Himalaya fine is famous for many gem species, but also produces these fine blades of stibiotantalite.  This specimen consists of one main crystal with some smaller partial crystals near the base.  The crystal is translucent, and shows typical striations and almost a metallic luster, with an attractive honey-brown color.  You can see the termination is not perfect, and if it were, the price would be doubled and it still would be a bargain.  Don't miss out on your chance to own a rare piece of California mineralogical wonderment!

Stephanite #STP0001 Batopilas, Mexico 18.9 mm x 17.3 mm x 13.3 mm $85 Order this Specimen
Description:	What can I say that the pics don't say already?  This is just an awesome, extremely well-crystallized example of stephanite from a world-reknowned locale.  The crystals show many intricacies, striations, beveled terminations, and great form.  Just a neat specimen, one of the nicest thumbnails of this species I have owned.

Rhodonite #RDN0001 Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia 13.2 mm x 6.9 mm x 4.2 mm $45 Order this Specimen
Description:	This is a neat little crystal of rhodonite from the famed locale of Broken Hill, Australia.  It is a cherry-red, prismatic crystal with some minor cleavage on the back.  It has tiny galena crystals on the termination, a common association with the rhodonite from this locale.  If you want a cute rhodonite thumbnail from this location that won't break the bank, well here you go!

Ludlamite #LUD0001 Blackbird Mine, Lemhi Co., Idaho, USA 28.5 mm x 11.1 mm x 13.5 mm $150 Order this Specimen
Description:	This specimen makes me want to go out and buy some green apple flavored Jolly Ranchers!  Because the color is just like that!  Here we have a nice toe-nail specimen of ludlamite from probably the best American locale for the species, and one of the best locales in the world for that matter.  The crystals show amazing form and gemminess, superb luster, and are aesthetically perched on a bit of matrix with micro-calcite crystals glittering about.  An American classic!

Eudialyte #EUD0001 Naujakasik, Ilimaussaq complex, Narsaq, Greenland 39.7 mm x 23.1 mm x 30.6 mm $120 Order this Specimen
Description:	Eudialyte is a neat mineral with a very complex chemical formula.  It is also neat because it ends in "-yte" instead of "-ite," but perhaps I am just being a nerd for mentioning that.  Anyway, the eudialyte specimens from this locale in Greenland are hard to come by (in comparison to Canadian or Russian pieces), and they are frequently just massive chunks.  But this specimen shows great crystallization!  Just look at the defined crystal faces in the pics!  Too bad the crystals are not 100% complete, then we have something to really brag about!  But as it is, this is a wonderful example for the species.

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