Mario Pauwels' Photo Gallery
9E5-LM4Chrysocolla Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4·nH2O, x < 1
Dimensions: 4 cm x 3.4 cm
Chrysocolla (4cm x 3,4cm)
Mario Pauwels collection , Joaquim Callén photo.
Attractive combination of parallel grown, partially lighter blue Chrysocolla in combination with darker blue Chrysocolla 'fingers'. The entire specimen is in fact plain Chrysocolla, without any covering of Quartz. All stalactites are intact and the specimen is in pretty good condition. This specimen was mined in March 1998.
Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 12th Mar 2021
The Ray Mine, Arizona.
The Ray Mine near Kearny has one of the largest copper reserves in the entire United States. The mine is currently owned by Asarco. 'Teapot mesa' rises above the Ray Mine and dominates the skyline.
Mario Pauwels photo
January 2018
Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 25th Nov 2020
The Ray Mine, Arizona.
The Ray Mine near Kearny has one of the largest copper reserves in the entire United States. The mine is currently owned by Asarco.
Mario Pauwels photo
January 2018
Immense excavators used in the Ray Mine, Arizona
At the viewpoint of the Ray Mine stands an educational sign with a photo that very well illustrates the size of the immense excavators that are used in this mine. Can you imagine that nearly 50 adults can easily take place in the enormous grab.
Mario Pauwels photo
January 2018
D48-3DLTopaz (Var: Imperial Topaz) Al2(SiO4)(F,OH)2
Dimensions: 11.5 cm x 3.2 cm
Largest Crystal Size: 11.5 cm
Imperial Topaz (11,5cm x 3,2cm)
Mario Pauwels collection , Joaquim Callén photo.
A very fine, elegant, elongated Imperial Topaz crystal with a sharp pyramidal termination. All crystal faces have a brilliant luster and the crystal is complete all around. The transparency and the rich color speaks for itself as you can see on the photo. Also important, this Topaz is in excellent condition and is completely undamaged. I visited the Capão Mine and a few other Imperial Topaz locality's near Ouro Preto long time ago in 1998 and believe me, the chances to collect and extract undamaged and intact Imperial Topaz due to the difficult collecting conditions and/or the industrial way of mining are low, very low. So I was very happy that I could obtain many years later a Imperial Topaz for my collection in this worth mentioning size, with these good characteristics, and with this aesthetics. This specimen came out of an older American collection and must have been collected before 1960.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District'
The total production of a full day of work in the Capão Mine, approximately 450 grams of imperial topaz in all sorts of quality. The Capão Mine is the largest producer of imperial topaz in the world and has been in operation since more than two hundred years now.
Mario Pauwels photo/slide - July 1998
This locality photo date from before the digital age and are digitally scanned slide images, which explains the loss of quality of the photos.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District': https://www.mindat.org/a/imperial_topaz_capao_mine_ouro_preto
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District'
Sorters with a good eye for detail sorting out the imperial topaz from the 'gravel' on a conveyor belt at the Capão Mine, the largest imperial topaz producer in the world.
Mario Pauwels photo/slide - July 1998
This locality photo date from before the digital age and are digitally scanned slide images, which explains the loss of quality of the photos.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District': https://www.mindat.org/a/imperial_topaz_capao_mine_ouro_preto
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District'
You may call this 'the laundry unit ', where a high pressure water cannon separates the imperial topaz from the gangue and the clay. The water comes from the Capão Creek and is stored in of the three water reservoirs on the Capão minesite.
Mario Pauwels photo/slide - July 1998
This locality photo date from before the digital age and are digitally scanned slide images, which explains the loss of quality of the photos.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District': https://www.mindat.org/a/imperial_topaz_capao_mine_ouro_preto
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District'
View on a part of the huge Capão open pit mine, the situation as it was in 1998. The Capão Mine is the largest producer of imperial topaz in the world and has been in operation since more than two hundred years now.
Mario Pauwels photo/slide - July 1998
This locality photo date from before the digital age and are digitally scanned slide images, which explains the loss of quality of the photos.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District': https://www.mindat.org/a/imperial_topaz_capao_mine_ouro_preto
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District'
View on a part of the huge Capão open pit mine, the situation as it was in 1998. The Capão Mine is the largest producer of imperial topaz in the world and has been in operation since more than two hundred years now.
Mario Pauwels photo/slide - July 1998
This locality photo date from before the digital age and are digitally scanned slide images, which explains the loss of quality of the photos.
Mina Do Capão - 'Ouro Preto Imperial Topaz District': https://www.mindat.org/a/imperial_topaz_capao_mine_ouro_preto
