Moving mountains for you
Switch currency

Current Live Auctions

Current Live Fixed Price Sales

Margarite & Rutile

Views:
Watches:
LMB176914

Margarite & Rutile

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, United States of America
Size Range: 
Small miniature (3-4.5 cm)
Size: 
2.5 × 3.5 × 3 cm
Description

FOV in the first photo is 6.8 X 4.4 mm. It shows blue-green margarite plates, viewed mostly edge-on to bring out the color. Most of the margarite on this specimen is not as deeply colored. It ranges from essentially colorless to a paler blue-green. But there is quite a bit of it – relatively speaking. The margarite is embedded in calcite along with small rutile xls (some reticulated) and a bit of “phlogopite”. A partial (?) rutile xl is shown in the second photo (FOV 2.3 x 1.9). Apparently this xl is the remains of a larger xl (or xls) but it is hard to tell where the xl ends and the cast begins. In any case, while there are a lot of rutile xls, they are just very small minor accessories along for the ride.

Margarite is a fairly uncommon mica, perhaps best known from the Chester Emery mines in Massachusetts. The blue-green color typical of margarite from the Franklin (Farber) quarry (not mine!) is apparently unusual, but the color is attested to by Dunn in his “Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey …” monograph. Note that margarite tends to form elongated strips, rather than hexagonal plates (macro photo).

Rutile may not be as rare at Franklin as the lack of specimens might suggest. But it is small and easily overlooked – hence hard to check off on the species list. (However, Dunn does report xls up to 7 mm associated with corundum and margarite near the Sterling Hill orebody – not far from the Farber quarry.)

Weight 1.6 oz. Single item shipping weight 3.6 oz. Actual postage according to total weight of items.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Margarite

Formula: 
CaAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2
Strunz: 
9.EC.30
Hardness: 
4.0
Type Locality: 
Großer Greiner, Zemmgrund, Zillertal, North Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria

Rutile

Formula: 
TiO2
Strunz: 
4.DB.05
Crystal System: 
Tetragonal - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Hardness: 
6.0 - 6.5
Type Locality: 
Rutile locality, Horcajuelo de la Sierra, Madrid, Spain
LMB minerals

Seller Information

Payment options: offline, paypal_wpp, paypal_wps

Seller's terms and conditions

In addition to the standard terms and conditions, please note the following. Almost all IDs are visual. While in most cases the ID is obvious, there may be cases where it is not. If you are doubtful about a particular ID, please ask for more information. Or do not bid! Similarly, if you are not sure that the specimen meets your criteria, do not bid. I have tdone the best I can with the photos. Nevertheless, if you are not happy with a specimen for any reason, I will refund the bid price – but not the shipping costs (unless the fault is clearly mine) – if the specimen is returned. This policy applies even if analysis of the specimen shows that my ID was incorrect. When in doubt, ask - or don’t bid. Note that most crystals at MSH and Varennes are micros - even if on large specimens. Please pay attention to the stated sizes. Any customs duties, fees etc. are the responsibility of the buyer.