Jeffrey Hapeman's Photo Gallery
UCX-H98Albite (Var: Cleavelandite) Na(AlSi3O8)
Dimensions: 30 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm
In January 2013 I hiked down to the old Crystal King Prospects as part of a day spent hiking around some old localities on Chief Mountain. There was little evidence of past prospecting apart from some pegmatite that had clearly been broken open with tools in the recent past, as it was not as weathered. At one of the spots with evidence of workings I found this small open pocket that had been mostly cleaned out. It contained a few small quartz crystals, cleavelandite and in the remnant clay there were 2-3 small light blue-green tourmaline crystals, approximately 15 x 3 x 4 mm.
DJJ-AYWSpodumene (Var: Kunzite) LiAlSi2O6
Dimensions: 24.84 mm x 19.18 mm x 17.02 mm
This is a completely natural kunzite from the Oceanview Mine in Pala, California. The kunzite found in the Oceanview Mine has ranged from light pink-purple to deep blue-purple to deep blue-green (which changes to a deep purple upon exposure to sunlight). The color is very stable and resistant to fading, particularly the darker purples. It was mined in 2010 in the Big Kahuna zone of the mine.
This gemstone was custom-cut by Stephen Kotlowski of Uniquely K Custom Gems. It's his own version of a cut-corner triangle. The bulk of the stone is internally flawless, but one small tubular veil or gletz is present near the top outer edge. This is hidden in the facets when viewing the gem from the front. It weighs 43.70 carats and measures 24.84 x 19.18 x 17.02 mms. It currently resides in my private collection.
XWF-F30Foitite ◻(Fe2+2Al)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Dimensions: 132.3 mm x 4.2 mm x 3.3 mm
This amazing foitite tourmaline pencil measures 132.3 x 4.2 x 3.3 mm and weighs 4.32g. It is doubly-terminated and has NO repairs! Collected by Ken Gochenour in 1994; it still has his label (with foitite misspelled).
1KM-54YMicrocline K(AlSi3O8) , Tourmaline AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z , Elbaite Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) , Lepidolite, Albite Na(AlSi3O8) , Albite (Var: Cleavelandite) Na(AlSi3O8)
Dimensions: 99.8 mm x 75.4 mm x 57.8 mm
Collected from the famed Paprok Mine in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan this is a remarkable cabinet-sized specimen. It features five tourmalines, and the three largest ones are all perfectly terminated--one of them is doubly-terminated. In addition to the tourmaline, there are beautiful clusters of lepidolite sprinkled on top of the specimen and on the pointed termination of the microcline crystal. The microcline crystal is extremely well-formed, with both terminations forming nice points, and only one minor chip on the left-hand termination. The rear of the crystal was where it was contacted to the wall, and is where the albite var. cleavelandite rises up to frame the tourmalines and lepidolite. The entire specimen weighs 494g and measures 99.8 x 75.4 x 57.8 mm. The large tourmaline on the right measures 22.4 x 6.3 x 6.0 mm and has a glassy pinacoid termination. The long tourmaline on the left measures 32 x 4.8 x 3.9 mm and features a complex pink pyramidal termination. The final of the larger tourmalines is 22.9 x 6.7 x 2.0 mm and features a pinacoid termination on one end and a pyramidal termination on the other (albeit missing a small piece where it was attached to the wall).
JJP-L16Spodumene (Var: Kunzite) LiAlSi2O6
Dimensions: 62 mm x 33 mm x 14 mm
This pair of cut and rough kunzite comes from the Oceanview Mine on Chief Mountain in Pala, California. The kunzite crystal measures 62 x 33 x 14 mm and weighs 42.4 grams. The cut kunzite measures 17.8 x 13.4 x 11.5 mm and weighs 21 carats. The stone was faceted here in Los Angeles by a master lapidary who is very experienced cutting kunzite; due to its perfect cleavage its a difficult stone to cut but the results are well worth it.
U6M-XPYSpodumene LiAlSi2O6
Dimensions: 35 mm x 33 mm x 17 mm
This pair of cut and rough triphane (spodumene) comes from the Pala Chief Mine on Chief Mountain in Pala, California. The triphane crystal measures 35 x 33 x 17 mm and weighs 23.6 grams. The Portugese-cut triphane measures 11.3 x 8.6 mm and weighs 8 carats. The stone was faceted here in Los Angeles by a master lapidary who is very experienced cutting triphane; due to its perfect cleavage its a difficult stone to cut but the results are well worth it.
G30-KWHElbaite Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) , Albite (Var: Cleavelandite) Na(AlSi3O8)
Dimensions: 53 mm x 34 mm x 37 mm
This specimen of elbaite on albite var. cleavelandite was collected from the Swanger Street level of the Oceanview Mine on August 9th, 2012. The termination of the large elbaite was missing, and was located a week later and reattached. The specimen measures 53 x 34 x 37mm; the large tourmaline is 20 x 10.5 x 9.5mm and has a perfect dark blue termination--so dark it appears black.
7CN-4ATElbaite Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Dimensions: 68.6 mm x 57 mm x 55 mm
This large multi-colored elbaite was mined from the Pala Chief sometime in the 1930's. It came to me via Curtis Wilbur, and was previously in Bill Larson's collection. It is 68.6 x 57 x 55mm and weighs 413.6g. It was broken in the pocket and repaired; the base began to reheal in the pocket, so it's technically doubly-terminated.
H0L-G1KElbaite Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) , Tourmaline (Var: Verdelite) A(D3)G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Dimensions: 30 mm x 16.7 mm x 16.7 mm
I collected this green elbaite from the dump material at the Oceanview Mine; it comes from a recent pocket zone that produced a small number of green tourmalines similar to this one. The specimen broke in the pocket, but both ends began to reheal. It is 30 x 16.7 x 16.7mm and weighs 17.6g.
YA1-H5RBeryl (Var: Morganite) Be3Al2(Si6O18)
Dimensions: 34 mm x 30 mm x 13 mm
I collected this morganite from a recent pocket in the Oceanview Mine on July 19, 2012. The crystal measures 34 x 30 x 13mm.
