Jacob Helton's Photo Gallery
AAM-XURGrossular (Var: Chrome-bearing Grossular) Ca3(Al,Cr3+)2(SiO4)3
Field of View: 8 mm
Tiny chromian grossular garnets on diopside matrix from the now-closed Jeffrey Mine. Some have a distinct color zoning, showing a dark green core within a very light green outer region. Acquired from Douglas Wilson in Jan. 2016.
CKD-9N8Muscovite KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 , Almandine Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Field of View: 21 mm
Weight: 3.3 g
Muscovite after staurolite twin with tiny almandine garnets. The (former) larger complete staurolite crystal still retains the discernible shape of the terminations on each end. Collected by Jacob Helton.
QT4-16PMuscovite KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 , Almandine Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Field of View: 27 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 25 mm
Weight: 4.4 g
Muscovite pseudomorph after staurolite twin, with tiny iron stained almandine garnets peppered throughout. These erode from the host rock and can be found in the fields and ditches around this locality, but due to weathering and their fragility complete twins are fairly rare. Collected by Jacob Helton.
MJT-FU3Corundum (Var: Sapphire) Al2O3
Field of View: 2 mm
Largest Crystal Size: 0.25 mm
A tiny fractured pink corundum crystal from Chunky Gal Mountain. Despite the damage the hexagonal shape is till vaguely visible. The matrix (not visible in photo) is an unidentified deep blue mineral. Photographed with digital camera rigged against the eyepiece of a 100x total magnification biological microscope with an external 5500k LED light source.
HH3-LUYStaurolite Fe2+2Al9Si4O23(OH)
Dimensions: 13 mm x 9 mm x 11 mm
Weight: 2.58 g
Stray staurolite crystal fragment found in plowed field on private property after a heavy rain. Crystal is heavily weathered and contains numerous garnet inclusions.
