In this gallery are presented minerals from the Alpine region, including areas of France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. You can browse through and see nice quartz, smoky quartz, pink fluorite, adularia, rutile on hematite and other classic specimens from this region.

 

WALPS-08/11 - Fluorite

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Dark pink octahedral (with dodecahedral modifications on edges) crystals of fluorite to 1.5 cm. on edge grouped to form several clusters on a slab of granite matrix. Their faces show central areas etched, opaque and of whitish color whith the overgrown pink corners being translucent. Some minor cleaving in a couple of areas, otherwise undamaged and quite nice. Bottom of specimen is sawn.

12.7x8.4x4.6 - 415 €

 

 

WALPS-08/7 - Fluorite and quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

A vuggy adularia-rich granitic matrix presents some translucent dark pink octahedral (with dodecahedral modifications on edges) crystals of fluorite to about 1 cm. on edge on one side while the other side is partly coated by highly lustrous gemmy crystals of smoky quartz to 1.2 cm. long, some of them doubly terminated. Both sides shows small crystals of white adularia. Undamaged.

6.5x5x2.5 - 65 €

 

 

WALPS-08/17 - Fluorite and anatase

Bächlital, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

A group of translucent light purple to pinkish octahedral (with cube and dodecahedral modifications) crystals of fluorite to 1.2 cm. on edge intermixed with a vuggy feldspar-rich matrix. There are tiny (to less than 1 mm.) lustrous black crystals of anatase scattered on the matrix. Undamaged.

3x2.8x2.2 - 65 €

 

 

WALPS-08/24 - Fluorite

Bächlital, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Floater matrixless cluster of translucent octahedral (with cube and dodecahedral modifications) crystals of fluorite of purple to green color. A very small cleaved area in the smaller crystal as only damage.

2.2x1.7x1.1 - 60 €

 

 

WALPS-08/25 - Fluorite

Bächlital, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

A transparent light purple with pink core octahedral (with cube and dodecahedral modifications) crystal of fluorite to 2.3 cm. across on a little feldspar-rich matrix. Some faces are quite lustrous while others are duller or a have a greenish thin coating of chlorite. There are a few tiny (to less than 1 mm.) lustrous black crystals of anatase. There is some cleaving in what may be considered the bottom back side of the crystal (bottom right area on top right picture), otherwise in quite a good shape.

2.1x2x1.9 - 80 €

 

 

WALPS-07/59 - Fluorite

Bächlital, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

A matrixless lustrous translucent to transparent complex cluster of olive-green fluorite crystals (with a purple band in some inner areas). The morphology is a bit strange with similar development of cube and octahedron and an uneven growth of deodecahedron (which gives square faces in several places). The green color is partly due to fine-grained included chlorite. Some cleaving at bottom but still quite interesting for inclusions and morphology.

2.2x1.8x1.4 - 42 €

 

 

WALPS-07/66 - Fluorite

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Floater loose octahedral crystal of translucent dark pink fluorite. The center of the faces has been partly etched and is more opaque and of a whitish color. Edges and corners may be an overgrowth of second generation fluorite. Some chlorite dust at back. Undamaged.

2.4x1.9x1.2 - 40 €

 

 

WALPS-07/64 - Fluorite

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Small loose cluster of octahedral translucent dark pink crystals of fluorite to about 1.3 cm. on edge. The center of the faces has been partly etched and edges and corners may be an overgrowth of second generation fluorite. One face at bottom (as seen in the picture at right) was cleaved, probably in situ, otherwise undamaged.

1.9x1.7x1.3 - 45 €

 

 

WALPS-07/61 - Fluorite and quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Dark pink octahedral (with dodecahedral modifications on edges) crystals of fluorite to 1.2 cm. on edge forming a 2.6x2-cm. cluster on granite matrix. Their faces show central areas etched, opaque and of whitish color whit the overgrown pink corners being translucent. Many smaller crystals on the matrix present purple spots at the corners. The granite surface is partly coated by translucent dull crystals of smoky quartz to about 8 mm. long. Some white crystals of adularia here and there. Back of the main cluster at the edge of the specimen is not complete (cleaved and partly etched in situ), otherwise undamaged. Bottom of specimen is sawn.

12.8x6.1x4.8 - 210 €

 

 

WALPS-08/57 - Quartz (faden)

Glacier d'Argentière, Mont Blanc Massif (Haute Savoie, France)

A matrixless string of lustrous transparent quartz crystals of slightly smoky color forming a nice "faden" structure. There is some chlorite dust on some faces. Undamaged and very nice for this kind of quartz.

5.6x2.3x1.2 - 140 €

 

 

WALPS-06/57 - Quartz

Mont Blanc Massif (Haute Savoie, France)

Matrixless cluster of doubly terminated transparent light smoky quartz crystals to 4.5 cm. long with some white albite associated. Bottom is recrystallized. Undamaged.

4.7x3.8x2.3 - 17 €

 

 

WALPS-06/58 - Quartz

Mont Blanc Massif (Haute Savoie, France)

Matrixless cluster of transparent smoky quartz crystals the largest being doubly terminated and 5.5x3.5x2.2 cm. There is a fine dusting of chlorite in the terminal faces. Back is recrystallized. There are a couple of minor areas contacted/recrystallized, one of them at back of the termination of the main crystal, otherwise undamaged.

6x5.8x3.3 - 30 €

 

 

WMISC-03/29 - Quartz

Aiguille du Talèfre, Mont Blanc Massif (Haute Savoie, France)

Floater doubly terminated translucent 5.5x4x3-cm. smoky quartz crystal with smaller crystals, some white adularia and a small piece of matrix attached. There is a fine dusting of chlorite. Bottom is recrystallized. There is a secondary crystal broken (seen in the left photo at center), otherwise undamaged.

5x4.7x4.5 - 25 €

 

 

WMISC-03/30 - Quartz

Aiguille du Talèfre, Mont Blanc Massif (Haute Savoie, France)

Lustrous matrixless cluster of transparent smoky quartz crystals with chlorite inclusions in some areas. Some damage at back of the termination of the main crystal and at bottom.

6x4x4 - 25 €

 

 

WMISC-02/42/5 - Quartz

Grand Mont, Beaufortain (Savoie, France)

A small slab of matrix completely covered on both sides by lustrous transparent terminated needle-quartz crystals to about 1 cm. long. A few crystals at back are not completed, otherwise undamaged. The yellowish color in some areas is due to a thin film of oxide. Nice example of this kind of alpine quartz.

3.3x3x2.2 - 18 €

 

Alps Gallery-1

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