CHAMBERSITE
Venice Salt Dome, Plaquemines County, Louisiana
Chambersite is a member of the Boracite group, with the composition: Mn₃B₇0₁₃Cl.  While Chambersite is a member of the orthorhombic crystal system, crystals from this locality are usually pseudotetrahedral.  Color ranges from translucent colorless, to very pale lavender, to pale smoky gray.  All are single crystals or crystal groups, without matrix.

	TYPE 1 – Single pseudotetrahedral crystals, simple tetrahedrons:
	MI-1104 SPECIMEN SIZE (MILLIMETERS) SPECIMEN PRICE A. +/- 2 mm $  5.00 B. +/- 3 mm $  6.50 C. +/- 4 mm $  8.50 D. +/- 5 mm $10.50 E. Lot of 3 small crystals for micromount preparation, +/- 2 mm $11.50  / lot of 3	TYPE 1
	TYPE 2 – Penetration crystal groups, simple tetrahedrons: MI-1104 SPECIMEN SIZE (MILLIMETERS) SPECIMEN PRICE G. +/- 2 mm $  7.00 H. +/- 3 mm $  9.00 I. +/- 4 mm $12.50 J. +/- 5 mm $15.00
	TYPE 3  - Single pseudotetrahedral crystals, modified tetrahedrons: MI-1104 SPECIMEN SIZE (MILLIMETERS) SPECIMEN PRICE K. +/- 2 mm $  6.00 L. +/- 3 mm $  7.50 M. +/- 4 mm $10.50 N. +/- 5 mm $12.50 O. Lot of 3 small crystals for micromount preparation, +/- 2 mm $14.00  / lot of 3	TYPE 3

MERCURY (native)
Clear Creek Claim, Southern San Benito County, California
This very good specimen is from the collection of Ed Oyler, the mineral for whom Edoylerite was named – also from the Clear Creek Claim.  The “Mineralogical Record” magazine, Vol. 36, P. 347-348 features a description of the occurrence of native Mercury from this locality.  On this specimen, open vugs in the front of the massive Quartz matrix are lined with native Mercury, and tiny silvery globules of native Mercury are also present on one side of the matrix.  Bright red micro crystalline-massive Cinnabar is associated.  While native Mercury was once easy to obtain at the Clear Creek Claim, availability at the locality at the present time is zero due to both accessibility of the locality (i.e., closed to collecting by the BLM), and presence of areas in the deposit that appear to be a likely source for additional rich material.  Ed Oyler’s collection label accompanies this specimen. 
Specimen size:  1 3/4” tall, 1 1/2” wide at the base, and up to 1” thick
Order Item MI-1599
Price:  $40.00  SOLD  

SENARMONTITE, ANTIMONY (native Sb)
Tom Moore Mine, Erskine Creek Mining District, Kern County, California
The Erskine Creek Mining District is located north of Mojave, ENE of Bakersfield, in  a very remote area in northeastern Kern County, California.  Antimony and Gold deposits were productive in this district in the early 1890’s.   Native Antimony was originally mined from a Quartz vein at the Tom Moore Mine.  By 1893, native Antimony was being mined from several prospects along the main vein; it was also found as nodular masses.  The specimens available from this historic California mining district consist of nodular masses of very bright silvery-metallic native Antimony, in association with resinous to matte luster, light gray massive Senarmontite, Sb₂0₃.  Additionally, Senarmontite occasionally forms near colorless octahedral micro crystals in very small vuggy areas within the native Antimony.  The outside of each of these nodular masses has a very thin layer, or “rind” composed of a mixture of light tan color massive Antimony oxide minerals.  The oxide minerals identified to date include Valentinite, Cervantite, and/or Stibiconite.  Each of the nodules has been opened to reveal the very bright silvery-white cleavages of metallic native Antimony, associated with massive gray Senarmontite.  Many specimens have interesting microscopic sprays and / or masses  of flattened, acicular, dark red Kermesite associated.  In the table below, the following abbreviations apply for the most important minerals present on each specimen: Se = Senarmontite, A = Antimony, St = Stibnite, K = Kermesite, and V = Valentinite.  Abbreviations for mineral forms present:  mx = micro crystals, cl =cleavages, and ma = massive.  The red arrow pointers on two of the specimens indicate the presence of micro xls. of Kermesite and Valentinite.  Cervantite, Valentinite, and/or Stibiconite are present in varying amounts, as the light tan colored oxide layer on the outside of each of the nodules.  Specimen sizes in the table below are given in inches: width X height X depth.  In addition to the inch sizes, the gram weights are given.  Specimens are not necessarily priced by the gram – the gram weights are given only as a measure of relative specimen size.   453.60 grams = 1 pound.

All of the photos accompanying this write-up illustrate sections of opened native Antimony nodules.   Each specimen has been selected for its rich amounts of Senarmontite associated with native Antimony.  A 15% quantity discount is given on all specimens weighing > 200 grams.  This discount has been calculated into the price given, in the table below.  Any of these specimens would make an excellent addition to a collection specializing in California minerals, native elements, ore minerals, etc.   Reference: “Minerals of California”, H. Pemberton, P.  50-51 and 185 (1983).

H.

I.

J.

K.

                            MORE RARE MINERALS  PAGE  1 2 3 4 5 6 7