Norman King's Photo Gallery
7A9-PN6Quartz (Var: Amethyst) SiO2
Dimensions: 8.9 cm x 5.3 cm x 4.6 cm
Two views of an amethyst scepter developed on a six-sided, white to transparent prism of quartz. The scepter includes a single termination at the upper end, but includes multiple points around the basal portion. The scepter contains numerous tiny reddish crystals of hematite concentrated along veiled surfaces within it (e.g., the sparkles visible here). The entire crystal is 8.9 cm in height, with the scepter measuring 5.3 (height) x 4.6 cm (greatest width).
These amethysts are commonly referred to as Shangaan amethysts, named for the people who live in this area. This area is also referred to as Chibuku Mining District, which has produced hundreds of such amethysts since 2019 when strict procedures for mining were established to prevent disruption of local people and their customs. Norman King collection and photographs.
R1Q-LPCQuartz SiO2 , Rutile TiO2
Dimensions: 10.9 cm x 10.1 cm x 8.2 cm
Weight: 1.23 kg
Quartz crystal from Minas Gerais, Brazil acquired by Rock H. Currier in 1998 and recently auctioned by Heritage Auctions of Dallas, Texas (February 7, 2022). Crystal faces were polished enough that the inclusions are clearly visible and original faces are identifiable–two requirements that Rock specified to accept polished specimens (see illustrated auction catalogue for the Heritage Auctions Nature and Science Auction #8070). Inclusions that demarcate the phantoms likely include amphiboles and/or clay minerals, with iron oxides supplying the pinkish-orange coloration. The main photo is a single, full-on view of the crystal, but any single view of THIS crystal does not do it justice, so the daughter photo includes two additional views–one on either side of the full-on parent photo, making a sort of tryptiche of photos.
1JH-5HUFluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F , Beryl (Var: Aquamarine) Be3Al2Si6O18 , Muscovite KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Dimensions: 7.1 cm x 5.0 cm x 3.6 cm
Pink fluorapatite crystal in the aquamarine variety of beryl, with scattered muscovite in upper part of specimen. Contrast was enhanced slightly to make the fluorapatite stand out better, and that also made the lesser intensity of blue in the upper part of the aquamarine easier to see. The classic crystal form for this fluorapatite is well displayed. Norman King collection and photograph.
549-JCHFluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F , Albite Na(AlSi3O8) , Schorl NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Dimensions: 8.3 cm x 4.9 cm x 3.5 cm
Fluorapatite in albite from Chumar Bakhoor. These crystals are notable for having a nearly non-existent color, namely “pastel light purple pink,” as shown in Getty Images’ “iStock” group of colors. The larger crystals of this color here are classic hexagonal prisms, at least two of which occur along the upper crest of the specimen to the right of the upper schorl, as well as smaller crystals to the right of the main body of the schorl that are difficult to see. Where open space allows, basal pinacoid terminations are visible on all of the prisms. Norman King collection and photograph.
HDG-9TNSphalerite ZnS
Dimensions: 9.3 cm x 7.9 cm x 5.3 cm
Weight: 0.58 kg
Mass of sphalerite consisting of pieces that have come together into a single piece. What mechanism operated to do that is unknown. The sphalerite below what you can see here is more solid and unitary, whereas the pieces visible on this surface have different shapes, sizes, and colors that range from honey and yellow-brown to orange and darker brown with tinges of yellow. The daughter photo has light coming in at low angles from the sides, especially from the upper left, showing the translucency that is a major feature of specimens from this locality. A specimen like this will quickly find a buyer. Jodi Fabre sold it initially in the 1990's to Spanish collector Enrique Moes, and then it returned to Fabre, who listed it on his website (again?) and I purchased it. Perhaps I can arrange for it to be returned at some later time to Jodi who can then sell it for a third time. The minID code came from an earlier phase of its history. Norman King collection and photographs.
X8M-Q2RQuartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO2
Dimensions: 15.5 cm x 11.9 cm x 11.5 cm
Smoky quartz, including scepter crystals. The scepters are lighter in color than the other, smaller crystals, but are still smoky. Several non-sceptered crystals here have transparent colorless tips with smoky phantoms. A single tiny reverse sceptered crystal appears at far left. The rock matrix (speckled and greenish gray, visible at lower right) appears to be a very coarse-grained sandstone, probably arkosic. Plant fossils, shelled invertebrates, and microfossils indicate a Pliocene age (roughly 2-5 million years). Actually, volcanics are dominant in the Petersen Mountain area, but sedimentary deposits are widely distributed with them. Norman King collection and photograph.
I acquired this during a well-publicized auction by Heritage Auctions on December 8, 2021 during a phase called "The Collection of a Southern Gentleman" who was just out of the Oil & Gas industry [sic]. Bidding remotely, I was glad to win this and one other specimen, being a former professional in the Oil & Gas industry myself. But I am no "southern gentleman!"
H87-QXAGalena PbS
Dimensions: 5.8 cm x 4.7 cm x 3.1 cm
This is mostly a single, very large crystal of galena. It is difficult to pin-point which mine in the Madan ore field produced any particular specimen of galena, but the Borieva mine is well-known for supplying very large, mirror-like crystals such as this one. The apparent six-sided faces are modified octahedral faces, and the square faces are remnants of cubic faces (octahedrons modified by dodecahedrons also produce square faces, but those squares are oriented differently with respect to each other). Norman King collection, photograph, and crystallography.
QWG-AT6Galena PbS , Sphalerite ZnS
Dimensions: 8.4 cm x 6.3 cm x 3.8 cm
Skeletal galena from Septemvri Mine. Skeletal crystals are caused by very rapid crystal growth, wherein atoms are added more rapidly to the edges and corners of a growing crystal than to centers of crystal faces. The result is repetitive forms making stepped, branched, folded, or convoluted crystals that seem to be stacked on top of each other rather than developing separately. Scattered clusters of tiny black crystals in this specimen are sphalerite. Norman King collection and photograph.
8VM-LM5Quartz SiO2 , Hematite Fe2O3
Dimensions: 6.6 cm x 6.0 cm x 5.6 cm
Quartz covered by hematite, a common phenomenon for materials from the Djurkovo complex. Tiny crystals resembling those of cactus quartz are present on the back side of this specimen, those being covered less strongly by the oxide coating. Norman King collection and photograph.
4DH-VGWQuartz SiO2 , Pyrite FeS2
Dimensions: 6.4 cm x 4.7 cm x 3.6 cm
Quartz and pyrite from Madan ore field, photographed with oblique perspective to emphasize clearly visible amethyst phantoms in the quartz. These phantoms originate about a centimeter above the base of the specimen, and then they die out with a pointed termination typical for any quartz crystal. Above that the quartz is white again with rather “foggy” translucency. Some crystals lacked a third growth stage, so their top is in the amethyst zone (see crystals at far left that terminate as amethyst). Patches of brassy metallic material in the lower part of the pre-amethyst layer are pyrite. Greenish material at left-center might be called chalcedony, although both microscope and hand lens reveal very fine crystallinity, so it is coarser than the cryptocrystalline texture expected for chalcedony. It post-dates all other portions of the specimen. Norman King collection and photograph.
