Crystals & Minerals

Pseudomorphs are mineral specimens that have the external shape of one mineral but are composed of another.  The pseudomorph goethite after marcasite forms when marcasite is exposed to oxidizing conditions and starts to oxidize and break down. As the marcasite breaks down, goethite replaces it in the crystal structure, preserving the shape of the original marcasite crystal. The resulting specimen appears as a marcasite crystal, but is actually composed of goethite.

The Farafra Oasis, in the White Desert, has been known for a number of years to deliver incredible pseudomorph specimens. The pseudomorphs occur within the Cretaceous Khoman Chalk, from which the White Desert derives its name.

These specimens are remarkable for their relatively sharp marcasite crystal forms in aesthetic crystal clusters. They are in excellent condition.  This collector's specimen is unique, of great quality and ready for display.

Name: Goethite After Marcasite Pseudomorph
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Sized Specimen
Dimensions:  31x22x23  mm / 1.2x0.9x0.9 inches
Weight: 17 grams / 0.6 ounces
Origin: White Desert, Farafra Oasis, Egypt

Lapis lazuli or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious gemstone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color.  This specimen shows deep blue with sparks of pyrite and is in great condition.

Product Type: Lapis Lazuli Rough
Specimen Size: Miniature-Sized
Dimensions:  51x51x26 mm / 2.0x2.0x1.0 inches
Weight: 83.7 Grams / 2.9 ounces
Origin: Afghanistan

An olivine volcanic bomb is a type of volcanic rock that contains olivine crystals and has been ejected during a volcanic eruption. Olivine is a mineral that is commonly found in the Earth's mantle and is one of the first minerals to crystallize as magma cools.

Volcanic bombs are large clots of lava that are ejected from a volcano during an explosive eruption. They can vary in size, and their shapes are often streamlined due to their molten nature as they are thrown through the air. When these volcanic bombs contain olivine crystals, they are referred to as olivine volcanic bombs.

This piece has been cut to showcase the beautiful green olivine crystals.  It would be a beautiful addition to any new or existing collection. Comes with a Canagem Collection specimen card.

Name: Lava Coated Volcanic Crystal Bomb  
Specimen Size:  Cabinet-Sized  
Dimensions: 85x59x39 mm / 3.3x2.3x1.5 Inches  
Weight:  254.5 Grams / 9.0 Ounce  
Details: Volcanic activity Mortlake, Victoria, Australia  

This is an attractive specimen of calcite crystals from the Wessels Mine, Kuruman, South Africa.  The entire top surface of the specimen is covered with many sharp well formed calcite crystals. Some are a frosted snow white ball shape which sit amongst a sharper sparkly druzy calcite. It is in excellent condition.

Calcite is found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Some geologists consider it to be a "ubiquitous mineral" - one that is found everywhere. Calcite is the principal constituent of limestone and marble.

Name: Calcite Crystal
Specimen Size:  Cabinet-Sized
Dimensions:  61x50x35 mm/ 2.4x2.0x1.4 inches 
Weight: 96.82 Grams / 3.4 Ounces 
Origin: Mined in Wessels Mine, Kuruman, South Africa 

Iceland spar, formerly called Iceland crystal (Icelandic: silfurberg [ˈsɪlvʏrˌpɛrk], lit. 'silver-rock') and also called optical calcite, is a transparent variety of calcite, or crystallized calcium carbonate, originally brought from Iceland, and used in demonstrating the polarization of light.  

The most common crystal structure of Iceland spar is rhombohedral, but other structures, such as scalenohedral or prismatic, can form depending on formation conditions. Iceland spar is primarily found in Iceland but can occur in different parts of the world with suitable geological conditions such as China.

Name: Iceland Spar Optical Calcite
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Sized
Dimensions: 30x27x25 mm / 1.2x1.1x1.0 inches 
Weight: 60.8 Grams / 2.1 Ounces
Origin: Guangxi Province, China

This is a fine specimen of Purpurite, a very rare phosphate of manganese, with specimens usually coming from the manganese-rich area of Southwest Africa. It is prized for both its rarity and its intense purple color. There is iridescent purpurite on both sides of this rich specimen.

Name: Purpurite
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Sized 
Dimensions:  38x26x24   mm / 1.5x1.0x0.9 inches
Weight:  39.2 gr / 1.4 oz
Details:  Mined in Namibia

This amazing specimen of Vesuvianite was collected in the now closed Jeffery Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada. The specimen is made up of a combination of green and mauve vesuvianite crystals. It is a large specimen in good condition. A great addition to any collection!

Vesuvianite was first discovered on Mount Vesuvius in Italy in the 18th century, hence its name. It typically occurs as a green, brown, yellow, or blue-green crystal, and is often found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. The alternate name, Idocrase, is from the Greek eidos “form”, and krasis “mixture”, because Vesuvianite often appears to combine the crystal forms of other minerals. It is used as a gemstone.

Name: Vesuvianite Crystal 
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Sized
Dimensions: 56x31x22 mm / 2.2x1.2x0.9 inches 
Weight: 41 grams / 1.4 ounces 
Origin: Mined in Jeffery Mine,  Asbestos, Quebec, Canada

An olivine volcanic bomb is a type of volcanic rock that contains olivine crystals and has been ejected during a volcanic eruption. Olivine is a mineral that is commonly found in the Earth's mantle and is one of the first minerals to crystallize as magma cools.

Volcanic bombs are large clots of lava that are ejected from a volcano during an explosive eruption. They can vary in size, and their shapes are often streamlined due to their molten nature as they are thrown through the air. When these volcanic bombs contain olivine crystals, they are referred to as olivine volcanic bombs.

This piece has been cut to showcase the beautiful green olivine crystals.  It would be a beautiful addition to any new or existing collection. Comes with a Canagem Collection specimen card.

Name: Lava Coated Volcanic Crystal Bomb  
Specimen Size:  Large Cabinet-Sized  
Dimensions: 106x58x48 mm / 4.2x2.3x1.9 Inches  
Weight:  293.8 Grams / 10.4 Ounce  
Details: Volcanic activity Mortlake, Victoria, Australia  

This is Citrine Crystals on Matrix mined in Rio do Sul, Brazil. 

Name:  Citrine Crystals on Matrix  
Specimen Size:  Cabinet-Sized  
Dimensions:  66x28x35 mm / 2.6x1.1x1.4 inches  
Weight:  120 Grams / 4.2 Ounces  
Origin:  Mined in Rio do Sul, Brazil 

This is a natural cluster formation of large calcite crystals with hematite inclusions. This piece has some white color to translucent crystals with areas of orange/red coloring from hematite inclusions, with sharp tabular crystal formations. There are some nicks and imperfections on a few crystals but would still shine in the proper setup.  They don't take away from how interesting this piece is.  Would be a nice addition to any new or existing collection.

Name: Calcite with Hematite Crystal Cluster
Specimen Size:  Cabinet-Sized
Dimensions: 95x81x45 mm / 3.7x3.2x1.8 inches 
Weight: 267.8 Grams / 9.4 oz 
Origin: Mined in Lane Quarry, Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, USA

Volcanic bombs are large clots of volcanic lava rock that are ejected from a volcano during an explosive eruption. They can vary in size, and their shapes are often streamlined due to their molten nature as they are thrown through the air. When these volcanic lava rocks contain olivine crystals, they are referred to as olivine volcanic bombs.

Mount Shadwell, a dormant volcano, was formed 25,000 years ago and is believed to have last erupted about 5,000 years ago. The town of Mortlake, which is situated at the foot of the volcano, is the self-proclaimed olivine capital of Australia.  This is where large ejected rocks from Mt Shadwell, called volcanic bombs, are found.

This huge museum piece has been cut to show the green olivine crystals which are showcased beautifully against the surrounding black lava crust.  

Would be a beautiful addition to any new or existing collection. Comes with a Canagem Collection specimen card.

Name: Olivine Crystal Bomb
Specimen Size:  Large Cabinet-Sized  
Dimensions: 173x121x61 mm / 6.8x4.8x2.4 Inches  
Weight:  1.45 Kg / 3 lbs 3 Ounces  
Details: Volcanic activity Mortlake, Victoria, Australia  

We have for you a large Duckbill style gypsum var Selenite from world famous Red River Floodway in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.  This is a large floater gypsum crystal cluster that occurred in the Pleistocene Age in Lake Agassiz clay. The distribution of the gypsum covers a 20 kilometer wide area, but the Floodway is one of the few excavations in the very flat terrain deep enough to intersect the gypsum layer.

The Red River Floodway has become famous, not only for its engineering marvel but also for the extremely unusual selenite specimens that were discovered during excavations. The formation is due to two generations of growth with the first growth forming near-spherical rosettes of stout intergrown crystals and the second growth, that made them famous, grew large golden crystals with a unique twinning shape that resembled a duck’s bill. These “duckbill” selenites are famous the world over and have found nowhere else in the world to date and collecting is now carefully controlled. Specimens range from having a single crystal, to having many radiating from the rosette. Some rare examples have two rosettes conjoined in striking formations. This specimen is in excellent condition.

Name: Gypsum var. Selenite
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Size 
Dimensions:  51x36X39 mm / 2.0x1.4X1.5 inches
Weight:   55.3 grams / 1.9 oz 
Origin: Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada