Minerals from Spain

Unfortunately I have to get rid of this old spanish mineral collection. I could not take photos of all the minerals. But I put a list of all them and it is exact locality. All minerals have a number hand painted and varnished, from 1 to 87. This collection is perfectly preserved. You will be able to match each mineral with it is description or label. Majority of the minerals from the 70´s and 80´s.

As I said before, I don´t have the time to make photos of each mineral specimen, But in general I can say that this is a collection which compose mostly of miniatures specially pick among hundreds of minerals during decades, therefore there are pieces of exceptional quality and rarity.

There are pieces from spanish classic localities but also there are many pieces from barely know localities even in Spain.

Between the classic localities I would highlight for his quality:

Pyromorphites from the most renombred localities here in Spain: Santa Eufemia, Resuperferolitica.
Fluorites from Asturias, Spain.
Sphalerites from Las Manforas Mine, Cantabria, Picos de Europa, Spain. The locality that produced the most wonderfull sphalerites of the world.
Like localities barely know, I can highligh these:

Calcite. El Bardalón Mine, Vargas, Cantabria, Spain. (#1)
Chapmanite. Carlés Mine, Asturias, Spain. (#77)
Tetrahedrite. Llerandi, Asturias, Spain. (#25)

Many specimens in this locality have high quality but for mention a few...highligh of this collection one fluorite (#81). Also highlight the general high quality of all fluorites in this collection. And the emerald crystal from Galicia, Spain (#62) you will spend hours seeing the color of this beryl!

If you are want more (or bigger) photos of a particular specimen please send me an email to juan@spanishminerals.com

Important Note:
The furniture, books and other objets of the photo are not included. Minerals, labels, and the large specimen on the furniture is included, it is not of the collection, have other provenance, but it is a amazing specimen from La Collada, Asturias, Spain. It have clear cubes of fluorite scattered in a matrix of perfectly crystallized scalenohedral calcites. This totally floater piece is in pristine condition. Ver difficult to photograph, better in person. Estimated value: 200$

Please see my feedback. 100% positive comments from customers.

Relax observing these mineral specimens in your home.

Complete list of specimens:

1-Calcite. El Bardalón Mine, Vargas, Cantabria, Spain.
2- Calcite. La Cuerre Mine, Cantabria, Spain. A very aesthetic specimen, it have two fantastic crystals isolated on white dolomite matrix. The calcite crystals are very fluorescent.
3- Hemimorphite, cinnabar, and very possible others unidentified minerals. El Bardalón Mine, Vargas, Cantabria.
4- Erythrite spheres on dolomite. Los Picayos, Niserias, Concejo de Peñamellera Alta, Asturias.
5- Calcite. La Cuerre Mine, Cantabria, Spain.
6- Calcite. La Cuerre Mine, Cantabria, Spain. The calcite crystals are very fluorescent on the contrasting matrix.
7- Yellow fluorite Very elegant specimen. Intense fluorescence. La Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain.
8- Calcite?¿ Aguilar, Palencia, Spain.
9- Yellow fluorite with cinnabar inclusions. Calcite crystals on the rear. La Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain.
10- Quartz. Emilio Mine, Caravia, Asturias, Spain. Extremely fine crystal...similar quality to the famous herkimer diamonds, but much more rare! Ever in Spain are really difficult to obtain.
11- Quartz. Berbes, Asturias, Spain. A really spanish Herkimer diamond. Very difficult to obtain, defunct locality.
12- Fluorite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. Interesting specimen.
13- Arsenopyrite, llolingite. Carlés, Asturias, Spain. (A mine property of RIO NARCEA GOLD MINES, an american mining company working in Asturias) It is almost sure in this specimen also there are gold but is not analized.
14- Crystals of Galena and Sphalerite on curls of white Dolomite. This specimen came from a isolated pocket find many years ago, in the second level of Las Manforas Mine, Cantabria, Spain. Very rare. Floater specimen. Looks amazing under magnification.
15- Sphalerite. Fantastic piece of gem intense red - orange sphalerite with some faces naturally recrystallized . Las Manforas Mine, Cantabria, Picos de Europa, Spain.
16- Calcite. La Cuerre Mine, Cantabria, Spain. A perfectly developed rombohedral calcite crystal on dolomite matrix. The dark color of the crystal make a good contrast with the with dolomite. It is a fantastic miniature. Estimated value: 80$
17- Fluorite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. Nice stepped habit crystals on matrix. Good arrangement of the fluorite crystals on calcite matrix. A fantastic miniature specimen.
18- Fluorite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. Is a cube of fluorite of blue color and interesting internal phantoms and patterns. It show a fracture naturally recrystallized. A very curious specimen.
19- Galena crystals on matrix, probably altered to cerussite. Nice miniature for this rare locality. Nieves Mine, Viernoles, Cantabria, Spain.
20- This calcite have superb display faces. On a small dark matrix, there are a cluster of scalenohedral calcite crystals, scattered sphalerite microcrystals are present. Very rare for this locality. La Viesca, Asturias, Spain.
21- Fluorite. La Viesca Quarry, Asturias, Spain. Interpenetrated cubes of pale blue fluorite, making a very aesthetic shape. Fine internal color zoning.
22- Fluorite. Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Gemmy cubes with a violet-blue color with a few barite blades.
23- Quartz. Emilio Mine, Caravia, Asturias, Spain. Extremely fine crystal...similar quality to the famous herkimer diamonds, but much more rare! Ever in Spain are really difficult to obtain.
24- Sharp crystals of pyrite (not the comon cubes) on dolomite. La Cuerre Mine, Cantabria, Spain. Seeing it with my triplet 10x..and I don´t know what form it is. It is not a cube, piritohedron, diploid or octahedron. Could be a mix of cube and octahedron...but I am not sure. This specimen was found many years ago in the most dangerous zone I can remember in a mine. I went one day obtained some pyrites then go back home, and the next day all the zone had beed removed, all change in that zone, all walls were collapsed. Unforgettable!
25- Tetrahedrite crystals partially altered to azurite with some massive quartz. Very rare specimen. Llerandi, Asturias, Spain.
26-Amber. Reocin, Cantabria, Spain.
27- Dark sphalerite crystals with dolomite curls. The contrast is amazing. No damage for this lovely large thumbnail. La Cuerre, Cantabria, Spain.
28- Molybdenite crystal on quartz matrix. Carlés, Asturias, Spain. Very rare mineral for this locality.
29- Sulfur crystals on matrix. Laredo, Cantabria, Spain. Some of the best piece of spanish sulfur pieces come from this locality. Rare! Very good piece for this locality.
30- Scepter calcite crystals on little yellow fluorite. Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. High quality specimen. Mint condition! Estimated value: $150
31-Amber. Reocin, Cantabria, Spain.
32- Calcite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. Very good cluster of calcite crystals displayed on a rock matrix. Sphalerite and calcopyrite crystals are scattered through the piece. Floater and good luster. No damage.
33- Fantastic cube of violet fluorite with amazing internal color zoning perched very aesthetically on a blade on white barite. Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Very old specimen, mined in the 70´s. Mint condition.
34- A very rare specimen from Cuetu el Aspra, Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Its a fantastic piece with a shape of stalactic made of quartz crystals and scattered dark fluorite crystals. The contrast between the white quartz and the blue fluorite is very eye-catching. This specimens are totally unobtainable today.
35- Pyromorphite. Mina Resuperferolítica , Cerro Canaleja, Santa Eufemia, Córdoba, Spain. A fantastic miniature specimen. Estimated value: $50
36- Cluster of many complex cubic fluorite crystals with internal color zoning varying from gray-purple centers and deeper purple outer zones. The crystals are cubic habit with surfaces of many parallel smaller cubic faces. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
37- Barite. Nieves Mine, Viernoles, Cantabria, Spain. Huge floater crystal of barite. 7cm large, with scattered big quartz crystals. No damage. Very good piece. Estimated price: 80$
38- Fluorite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. A pair of interpenetrated blue-violet colored crystals in a microcrystalline quartz matrix. Damaged in the periphery but still a good specimen from this classic locality.
39- Cluster of many complex cubic fluorite crystals. The crystals are cubic habit with surfaces of many parallel smaller cubic faces. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
40- This is a little jewel, gemmy cubes of blue fluorite and a blade of barite. Perfect condition. Estimated price: $50. Defunt locality like the majority of the localities in this spanish mineral collection. Berbes, Asturias, Spain.
41- Fluorite. Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Gemmy cube with an pale violet color in a vug of microcrystalline quartz.
42- Lovely piece, isolated blade of barite on a very small matrix. No damage to this very aesthetic thumbnail. Berbes, Asturias, Spain.
43- This is a very historic piece from La Cabaña area, Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Came from a isolated pocket called, LA COQUERA DE AGUSTIN, remembering the name of his discover (my father). This pocket yielded the most intense lilac colored fluorites in La Cabaña area. There are piece of this pockect in important museums of Spain. This example is not the nost notable! But it is a very intense colored fluorite cluster, and it have a lot of internal color zoning. And the luster and crystallization is also superb. INTENSE RED FLUORESCENCE!!
44- A rare azurite with others crystallized minerals. From a very unknown locality. Mina La Prehistorica, Vizcaya, Pays Vasque, Spain. It have rossetes of azurite crystals on matrix. Very good sample for this locality. Looks amazing with little magnification.
45- Cluster of many complex cubic fluorite crystals with internal color zoning. The crystals are cubic habit with surfaces of many parallel smaller cubic faces. No damage. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
46- A really elegant cluster of calcites, featuring two crystals of Fluorite and curls of Dolomite. Overall size of mineral specimen: 7.3 x 4.1 x 3.3 cm. See photos. Estimated price: 120$ Emilio Mine, Asturias, Spain.
47- Calcite crystals on dolomite matrix. The calcite crystals are perched very aesthetically on the white dolomite crystals. Floater piece without any damage. Cantera Montehano, Santoña, Cantabria, Spain. The calcite crystals are very fluorescent in yellow.
48- Flurite cubes of intense blue color on rock matrix. Very eye catching color. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
49- Calcite. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. A pair of scalenohedral calcite crystals on matrix. The contrast between the white crystals and the black matrix give a plus to this specimen.
50- Calcite. Veneros, Asturias, Spain. A fantastic calcite crystal on matrix. Very good aesthetics. Estimated price: 100$ Impossible to find this pieces now.
51- Calcite. Llugarin, Asturias, Spain. Inclusions of Fe?¿ or Mn?¿ I think MAKE TO THIS SPECIMEN A BLACK COLOR VERY UNCOMMON FOR THIS LOCALITY. Also the crystal have sharp faces. It is a curious specimen for this locality.
52- Fluorite with the most intense yellow color I have seen. Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. Very fluorescent. Gemmy cubes with an outstanding color. Estimated value: 100$
53- Calcite. Llugarin, Asturias, Spain.
54- Vivid purple cube of fluorite. The color is pale purple outer zone and darker purple core. Excellent transparency. Floater. Extrange recrystalized area in the center of the cube. Interesting. La Viesca, Asturias, Spain.
55- A magnificient twinned calcite on matrix. It is one of the best calcite crystals I ever had in my life time from this locality. No damage. Estimated price: 90$. La Cuerre, Cantabria, Spain.
56- Yellow - golden fluorite with associated calcite crystals. Very showy. La Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain.
57- Golden - red fluorite with associated quartz crystals! Very rare for this locality. Very showy. La Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. The red color is due to cinnabar inclusions.
58- Dolomite pale pink curls with minor annabergite?¿ Los Picayos, Niserias, Concejo de Peñamellera Alta, Asturias.
59- A vug in epidote? Also there are others unidentified mineral. Probably hedenbergite. Carlés, Asturias, Spain. (A mine property of RIO NARCEA GOLD MINES, an american company working in Asturias, Spain)
60- Brown calcite crystals on dolomite matrix. Very intense fluorescence and phosforescence in yellow. A rare piece for the locality. La Cuerre, Cantabria, Spain.
61- Pyromorphite. Mina San Andrés, Villaviciosa de Córdoba, Córdoba Spain. Fantastic thumbnail. Neon color!! From a famous find in the 90´s. Estimated value: $50 See photo.
62- Emerald in schist matrix. Not the ones from Muzo or Brazil, but a very fine thumbnail of this rare locality. Have good green color for this locality and good crystallization. From a famous find in the 80´s. See Lapis magazine, in his special number about emerals you can read info about this very interesting locality. La Franqueira, Galicia, Spain.
63- Blue Celestite crystal (incomplete). Laredo cliffs, Cantabria, Spain. Very thick!
64-Pyromorphite. Mina San Andrés, Villaviciosa de Córdoba, Córdoba Spain. Fantastic thumbnail. Neon color!! From a famous find in the 90´s.
65- Calcite. Llugarín, Asturias, Spain. Fantastic cluster made of incolore - brown crystals. This particularly rare specimen is one from one pocket that yielded only a dozen specimens. The condition is good, only have little damage on the periphery of this specimen.
66- Yellow - golden fluorite with associated calcite and barite crystals. Very showy. La Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. Estimated price: $70.
67- A large crystallized druse of honey colored fluorite. Fantastic cabinet piece. Intense fluorescence in yellow. Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain.
68- Schorl. A rare piece from La Franqueira, Galicia, Spain.
69- Calcite crystals on a brown dolomitic matrix. Llugarín, Asturias, Spain.
70- Single cubic crystal of gemmy purple fluorite with etched crystal surfaces. The bottom surfaces are crystallized with many minute parallel cubic crystal faces. A lot of internal phantoms!! Cute floater cube! Berbes, Asturias, Spain.
71- Heterogenite on dolomite. Los Picayos, Niserias, Concejo de Peñamellera Alta, Asturias, Spain.
72- A very complete piece from La Moscona mine, Asturias, Spain. Gemmy yellow cubes with a pair of calcites and scattered curls of white dolomite. Very elegant cabinet piece. Estimated price: 130$
73- Calcite with cinnabar inclusions. Very fluorescent with short wave in different colors. La Cuerre, Cantabria, Spain.
74- Fluorite. Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. This specimen have an outer generation of dark blue fluorite covering the first generation (yellow - golden color). Very rare for this mine, I only know one pockect that yiended this rare specimens.
75- Very fine calcite cluster. Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain. Intense fluorescence in red! RARE. See photos.
76- Barite with malachite?¿ I am not sure about the malachite. Nieves Mine, Viernoles, Cantabria, Spain.
77- Chapmanite on granite rock. Carles Mine , Asturias, Spain. (Gold AMERICAN mining company working in Asturias, Spain) Very rare silicate.
78- Barite. Nieves Mine, Viernoles, Cantabria, Spain. Huge floater crystal of barite. 9cm large!
79- Sphalerite and Calcite. Las Manforas Mine, Cantabria, Spain. A sphalerite complex crystal covered by small prismatic calcite crystals. Second level of the mine. Rare specimen for this old mine in the Picos de Europa mountains.
80- A fantastic piece! Scalenohedral white calcite crystal sitting on a very dark matrix. Very good aesthetics. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
81- Scattered fluorite crystals on rock matrix. The fluorite crystals are cubic form, with secondary faces on the edges. The crystals are transparent. Very fine piece. La Cabaña, Berbes, Asturias, Spain. Estimated value: $70
82- A gorgeus calcite cluster with scattered cubes of pale blue fluorite. The Calcite is fluorescent in red. Amazing under UV light. La Collada, Asturias, Spain. See photos.
83-A few interconnected translucent pale green fluorite crystals that are fully crystallized all around. Scattered calcopyrite crystals are present. La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
84- Parallel growth of barite blades with scattered quartz crystals, with an extraordinary luster and trasparency. Nieves Mine, Cantabria, Spain.
85- Fluorite cubes with a vivid color on rock matrix. Some calcite crystals are present. La Viesca, Asturias, Spain.
86-Cluster of many complex cubic fluorite crystals with internal color zoning. The crystals are cubic habit with surfaces of many parallel smaller cubic faces. La Viesca Quarry, La Collada, Asturias, Spain.
87-Fantastic calcite crystals perched very aesthetically on a brown dolomitic matrix. Llugarín, Asturias, Spain.

Mineral photos:

This specimen have red fluorescence with ultraviolet light (LW and SW).

This piece have an extraordinary red fluorescence with SW and LW.

This is a specimen of the collection shown in the general photos. With this example you can see that in the general photos you can not appreciate the quality of the specimens. This is the only specimen well photographed in this collection.

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