Herbert Obodda's Photo Gallery
9C5-K84Graphite C
Dimensions: 44 mm x 39 mm x 14 mm
Weight: 29.7 g
A rounded water-worn pebble of lustrous black graphite with veins of white quartz. 4.4x3.9x1.4cm.
11Y-3L9Fluorite CaF2
17.0 x 12.4 cm.
A choice, totally transparent, lustrous, highly etched cubic xl with a few smaller, similar xls attached. The xl is of an unusual oily green color tinges with subtle streaks of purple an is one of the very largest and attractive specimens from the locality.
9NW-FA2Fluorite CaF2
11.5 x 7.2 cm.
A very choice group of transparent and lustrous modified cubes to about 3.5 cm.
UYT-4PLFluorite CaF2 , Calcite CaCO3
9.9 x 7.8 cm.
A superb group of two deep purple cubo-octahedral xls perched on a matrix of drusy CALCITE xl covered rock. One of the best found at the locality sometime in the 1960's.
4LQ-GEYFluorite CaF2
10.5 x 7.5 cm.
A superb, older, specimen consisting of the optically clear corner "points" left after thorough in-ground etching. This specimen is one of the most symmetrical known to me and was originally in the Gene Meieran collection.
Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 6th Mar 2010
E8N-U4QFluorite CaF2 , Celestine SrSO4
14.2 x 10.5 cm.
A superb group of lustrous, gemmy, brown xls to 4.5 cm associated with small, white, bladed CELESTINE xls. One of the nicer pieces from a find made in 2007-08.
E67-XL4Diamond C
4.0 x 2.3 cm.
An extremely sharp, colorless, clean octahedral xl measuring 8.3 mm from point to point imbedded in a dark gray KIMBERLITE matrix. The crystal exhibits the extreme adamantine luster that the species is known for. The xl is perfect with absolutely no damage and is totally unrepaired and original in its matrix! From a find in the 1970's, specimens like this are extremely rare now.
PLH-J34Bastnäsite-(Ce) Ce(CO3)F , Riebeckite ◻[Na2][Fe2+3Fe3+2]Si8O22(OH)2
6.0 x 3.5 cm.
A superb group of lustrous black xls to 3.3 cm on a granite matrix. A small reddish-brown BASTNÄSITE xl is nestled amidst the group. Although RIEBECKITE is the most common black mineral at the deposit is is very uncommon as nice xld specimens. According to Dr. Leaven's analysis "An analysed grain is close to pure RIEBECKITE, but has some K and Ca as well as NA, and minor MN and MG substituting for FE, as well as trace AL, probably substituting for Si." This specimen is pictured in an article on Zagi Mountain by Dr. Peter Leavens and myself published in the "Rare Earths" issue of The Mineralogical Record, May-June 2004 (Volume 35, number 3) as figure 25 on page 218.
08F-VTGBastnäsite-(Ce) Ce(CO3)F
6.2 x 4.3 cm.
An unusually large and fine xl of rich, translucent, resinous brown color. Most of the BASTNÄSITE xls from the area average under 3 cm in size and few of the large xls retain much luster.
8WE-7H8Limonite, Pyrite FeS2
6.0 x 5.5 cm.
A very good specimen of brown LIMONITE a pseudomorphs after cubooctahedral xls of PYRITE. Usually founs as small singles, groups such as this are rare.
