Mauro Rapazzini's Photo Gallery

TN0-38KFluorite CaF₂

De'an fluorite mine, Wushan, De'an Co., Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China

Dimensions: 10.0 cm x 4.0 cm x 9.0 cm

Specimen with octahedral fluorite crystals, some interpenetrated, green in the center and purple on edges, from De'an fluorite mine, China.

Finding: about 2005

Overall piece size: 10.0 x 4.0 x 9.0 cm

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

39X-EYXQuartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO₂

Mont Blanc Massif southeast flank, Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy

Dimensions: 12.0 cm x 7.5 cm x 8.0 cm

Specimen with transparent, terminated, lustrous, light brown to dark brown crystals of smoky quartz.

Finding: about 1990

Overall piece size: 12.0 x 7.5 x 8.0 cm

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

F47-0M8Ludwigite Mg₂Fe³⁺(BO₃)O₂ , Szaibélyite MgBO₂(OH)

Brosso Mine, Calea, Lessolo, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy

Dimensions: 9.0 cm x 3.5 cm x 7.0 cm
Largest Crystal Size: 40 mm

Very fresh, not altered specimen of ludwigite (black) and szaibelyite (white), personally found in the Brosso mine. The research of ludwigite was the prologue which brought me to the discover of a new mineral named canavesite.

Finding: about 1972.

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

6G7-XKVErythrite Co₃(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O

Bou Azzer mining district, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

Dimensions: 9.0 cm x 4.0 cm x 7.5 cm

Specimen of lustrous , deep purplish red and pale pink erythrite crystals on matrix from Morocco .

Finding: about 2010.

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

G46-99MChalcedony (Var: Agate) SiO₂

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Dimensions: 13.5 cm x 0.5 cm x 12.0 cm

Nice polished slab of agate with gray , pale blue natural colours with quartz crystals in the centre .

Finding: about 2008

Overall piece size: 13.5 x 0.5 x 12.0 cm

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

7YY-VDXAragonite CaCO₃

Giumentaro Mine, Capodarso, Enna, Enna Province, Sicily, Italy

Dimensions: 8.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 8.0 cm

"Old time" specimen of pale green, translucent, terminated, pseudo-hexagonal aragonite crystals. Very fluorescent under long-wave UV light with a deep pink color. Very difficult to find nowadays.

Finding: about 1971.

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

LY5-6MLChalcedony (Var: Agate) SiO₂

Estacion Ojo Laguna, Ahumada Municipality, Chihuahua, Mexico

Dimensions: 5.0 cm x 2.5 cm x 4.0 cm

Agate specimen totally polished with nice natural colours from Mexico .

Finding: about 1976

Mauro Rapazzini private collection .

WL3-JCDQuartz (Var: Smoky Quartz) SiO₂

Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dimensions: 8.0 cm x 7.0 cm x 8.0 cm

" Old time "aesthetic specimen of lustrous , transparent , light brown smoky quartz crystals .

Finding: about 1970

Overall piece size: 8.0 x 7.0 x 8.0 cm

Mauro Rapazzini private collection .

W15-5JPManganese Oxides (Var: Manganese Dendrites)

Limestone quarries, Solnhofen, Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen District, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Dimensions: 12.0 cm x 1.0 cm x 6.5 cm

"Artistic" specimen of black manganese dendrites (manganese oxides) on beige limestone matrix. The sample was cut around the perimeter.

Finding: about 1972

Overall piece size: 12.0 x 1.0 x 6.5 cm

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.

5N3-H92Quartz (Var: Amethyst) SiO₂

Piedra Parada, Tatatila Municipality, Veracruz, Mexico

Dimensions: 4.5 cm x 1.7 cm x 1.5 cm

Specimen of lustrous, transparent sceptre amethyst crystal with pale to medium purple color, without matrix .

Finding : about 1978.

Mauro Rapazzini private collection.