Rare Black Gmelinite - Na Micro Crystals - Mont - Saint Hilaire – Poudrette Quarry,
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:19998203 | Modified Item: No |
| Seller: LMB Minerals | Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada |
Rareblack Gmelinite-Na micro crystals - Mont-Saint Hilaire – Poudrette quarry, QuébecSize: 30 x 18 x 10mm. Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g) With TN case 0.6 oz (17 g)Regarding gmelinite-Na and this specimen:Gmelinite-Na is an uncommon zeolite, known onlyfrom about two dozen localities. At MSH, gmelinite-Na is a fairly commonmineral, especially in the hornfels environment, which this specimen is from. Thecrystals at MSH are generally micro, rarely reaching 5mm in diameter. But th...eyare invariably well formed and display an astonishing range of colors andhabits. I found this “black” type on my first trip to MSH – but never again inthe next 10 years. Supposedly the black color of the gmelinite-Na is due to pyrite inclusions – which seems mysteriousto me, since the crystals are obviously sprinkled with bright shiny – i.e.un-oxidized – pyrite. Why wouldinclusions of such pyrite make the gmelinite look black? In any case, this isby far the best of this type of gmelinite-Nathat I have left. Regarding the photos:The firstthree photos (FOV 3.4 x2.5 mm) show the best crystal of gmelinite-Naon the specimen. It is ca 2.8 mm in diameter. The third of these photos is a “cross-eye” stereopair – quite useful if you can fuse the images. If not, try flipping back and forth between thefirst two photos for a different 3D effect.The nextthree photos (FOV 4.1 x 4.1 mm) show the second best crystal of gmelinite-Na. It is 2.5 mm wide. Againthe third photo is a stereo pair.The nextthree photos (FOV 16 x 10 mm) are macro views showing most (but not all) of thegmelinite-Na on the specimen. (Thebest gmelinite crystal is in another – smaller – cavity). The floor of thecavity is lined by nearly colorless to straw colored dolomite rhombs and a bitof feldspar and calcite. The stereo view (third photo) is actually useful – if youcan fuse the images. Regarding shipping etc:Single item shippingweight is 3.4 oz (96 g). Please use the postage calculator toestimate shipping costs to your destination. Note that eBay and PayPal sellercharges are based on the total price - including postage and packingcosts! This adds about $2.25 to the cost of shipping to most non-USAdestinations. For small orders, I must pass most of this extra cost on to thebuyer. It is included in the shipping estimate via a “handling” charge. Forlarger orders, I generally give discounted postage. If you want to save on postage by combiningitems from this or other auctions you must wait for my invoice. I willautomatically combine items if I can. For shipments outsidethe USA, up to a total weight< 8 oz (225g), this can be combined with items from this or otherauctions for the same postage. Within the USA, the postage fortotal weights up to 13 oz ranges from $4.40 to $7.00 (including $0.75 forpacking). Above 13 oz, I will use "own box" PriorityMail. The rate, including packing and eBay/PayPal fees varies bydestination from $9 to $11.I only ship standard rate to the USA (including Puerto Rico etc), Canada, Mexico, Europe (excluding Russian Federation), Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. All other destinations, you must inquire before bidding. I will try to work with you, but insurance andfull tracking may be required. If you experience a lost package, you may bebarred from further bidding. In my experience, there has been only one lost packageand two damaged packages out of several hundred sent. I have done my best to provide accurate IDs. Ifyou are not convinced, don't bid. You are always welcome to ask for moreinformation. But this is not an "approval" service for peoplewho want to learn how to identify rare minerals or mineralogists looking forstudy material. Returns are only accepted for items over $50, and thebuyer is responsible for return postage. Shipping charges assessed for packagesreturned due to non-payment of any customs/VAT fees assessed by the destinationcountry are also the buyer's responsibility. This should not be a"real" issue. Out of several hundred packages sent, I have had onlyone return.
