Wilensky Exquisite Minerals

Arsenopyrite on Quartz Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China 17.2 cm tall x 18 cm wide... Arsenopyrite is not a rare species, in fact it is quite common. When it achieves this level of quality, with the addition of the colorful patina, it goes from being ordinary to extraordinary. This arsenopyrite from China transcends all others. The shimmering metallic arsenopyrite crystals have woven themselves into the clear quartz matrix, creating a dynamic mixture of bright clear quartz and blinding iridescent multicolored arsenopyrite crystals. This specimen was discovered several years ago and is considered the finest example to have ever been found in the Yaogangxian Mine. This mineral is included in our current exhibition,Contrast. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, pages 52 - 55. For more information about this mineral, please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com Photo by Evan D'Arpino

Azurite, Milpillas Mine, Cuitaca, Santa Cruz Municipality, Sonora, Mexico 8 cm tall x 7.5 cm wide. Azurite from Milpillas is simply unbeatable. There is no longer a debate that this locality has produced the finest azurites the world has ever seen. This piece clearly proves that point.... This specimen consistsof a single thick tabular doubly terminated azurite crystal of the finest electric blue color with "wet" luster. The intense glistening blue against the stark white matrix is as dramatic as one could hope for. The Milpillas mine has been closed and will never reopen. For but a brief moment in time we witnessed one of the most significant mineral deposits ever unearthed. This mineral is included in our current exhibition, Contrast. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, page19. For more information about this mineral, please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com Photo by Evan D'Arpino

Rubellite Tourmaline on Quartz Malkhan Pegmatite Field, Krasnyi Chikoy, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia 19 cm tall x 20.3 cm wide... All rubellite tourmaline is compared to the famous Jonas Mine in Brazil, which for the past 50 years has held the title for the finest known. These recent reddish purple rubellites from Russia are the first to truly challenge that notion. They are mined in a remote location, near the border of Mongolia, with great difficulty under extremely harsh and frigid conditions. The deep burgundy tourmaline crystals growing up and out from a whitish quartz matrix, a stark sharply contrasting aesthetic. This mineral is included in our current exhibition, Contrast. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, pages 14-15. For more information about this mineral, please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com Photo by Evan D'Arpino

Malachite on Quartz with Shattuckite, Omaue Mine, Opuwo Rural, Kunene Region, Namibia 7.6 cm tall x 7.6 cm wide Actual crystals of Malachite are quite rare. Malachite most commonly forms in botryoidal or stalactitic form. It is also very often seen as a replacement species in pseudomorphs, primarily after Azurite. The crystals on this piece are unusually long with terminations that are easily discernible. The Malachite has a very high luster, rich forest green color and a sub...tle chatoyancy. This play of light as you move the piece in your hand, altering the shades of green, is a unique attribute that few species possess. It is quite rare to find Malachite crystals on Quartz. The stark bold contrast of the deep lustrous green against the slick glassy whitish Quartz is a visual delight. The small addition of the sky blue ball of Shattuckite is a wonderful addition to an already unusual specimen. This element visually pulls the piece together, as if the Malachite spray grew from that point. This specimen is included in our current exhibition, Contrast. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue on page 8. For more information about this mineral, please contact us. For more information about this mineral, please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com Photo by Evan D'Arpino

Tourmaline on Quartz with Cleavelandite Grandon Pocket, Pederneira Mine, São José da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil 20.3 cm tall x 19 cm wide Ex-collection Keith Proctor... The Pederneira Mine has produced numerous colorful tourmaline specimens on finely crystallized matrix. This mine is considered among the most significant in the world for collector quality tourmaline on matrix. The Grandon Pocket was named after a single specimen, the largest piece ever found: theGrandonorThe Big Boss. It is currently the centerpiece in the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas. This tourmaline was found next toGrandonand is similar in appearance: gem-quality tourmaline crystals with intense bluish green color shooting out of water clear quartz. The bright green tourmalines, clear quartz, and white cleavelandite create a tour-de-force of contrasting colors. This piece was pictured inThe Mineralogical Recordin January 2015. Moreover, it is included in our current exhibition,Contrast. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue on pages 58-59. For more information about this mineral, pleasecontact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com Photo by Evan D'Arpino

Azurite with Malachite Milpillas Mine, Cuitaca, Santa Cruz Municipality, Sonora, Mexico 7.6 cm tall x 4.5 cm wide Milpillas is generally regarded as the finest azurite producer the world has ever seen. It is so rare to say that at this point in mineral collecting history, and about a species that has some truly amazing localities. Prior to this find, the finest azurite localities would have been an easy answer: Morocco, Bisbee, and Tsumeb. No one could have imagined a localit...y that could produce better than these three. The electric blue color of the azurites glow with a vibrancy that is difficult to describe. As the light reflects off the crystals, they exhibit a property similar to chatoyancy or adularescence. There is a thin transparent layer of azurite over malachite on every face where light reflects, shimmers and shifts, creating a greenish blue glow. Theseazurites defy comparison. This mineral is included in our current exhibition,Underground Hues. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, pages 16-17. For more information about this mineral pleasecontact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com PhotobyEvanD'Arpino

TOURMALINE Locality: Ofiki, Oyo State, Nigeria Dimensions: 6.3 cm tall x 1.9 cm diameter... Ofiki is well known for producing deep colored tourmalines. Most of the tourmalines they find are dull, rounded, and waterworn crystals, which are best used by jewelers as cutting rough. We rarely see superb sharp crystals of collector quality, such as this one, from this locality. This crystal is nearly flawless with rich colors and perfect form. This mineral is included in our current exhibition, Underground Hues. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, 38-39. For more information about this mineral specimen please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com PhotobyEvanD'Arpino

Grossular Garnet Jeffrey Quarry, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada 7.6 cm tall x 4.5 cm wide It is curious how there are only a few great garnet specimens in existence even though it is one of the more common species. Usually, garnet crystals from this locality grow closely together often with no matrix. It is very unusual to find an example that has symmetrically separated crystals such as this.... Four bright tangerine colored grossular garnets aesthetically arranged on a snow white pectolite matrix is a true rarity. This mine opened in the early 1880s and had a long life. It became inactive in 2001 and will never reopen. These classic garnets will neverbe unearthed again. Furthermore, the town of Asbestos was renamed Val-des-Sources in 2020 by popular vote of its citizens. This mineral is included in our current exhibition,Underground Hues. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, page 41. For more information about this mineral pleasecontact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com PhotobyEvanD'Arpino

SPHALERITE AND CALCITE Locality: Aliva Mine, Camaleno, Cantabria, Spain Dimensions: 17.7 cm tall x 26.6 cm wide... Sphalerite from Spain has always been considered the ultimate for the species. They are known for their stunning color and unusual transparency. The history of the sphalerite producing region in Spain is ancient. Mines in this region show archaeological evidence dating back to as early as 2000 BC. Written documentation shows the mines were operating in the late 16th century. After centuries of operation, the mines officially closed in 1989 and now sit within a national park, never to be mined again. Sphalerite is found in several colors: black, green, yellow, and red; red being the most sought-after color. Miners refer to these as "Ruby Jack", due to their resemblance to raw gem rubies. This example is among the largest and finest known sphalerite from any known locality with large flawless sections of gem quality. This mineral is included in our current exhibition, Underground Hues. It is pictured in the exhibition catalogue, pg. 24-25 and 33. For more information about this mineral specimen please contact us. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com PhotobyEvanD'Arpino

Heliodor WolodarskWolynski,Wolhynia, Ukraine 10.1 cm tall x 5 cm wide... During the early 1980s some of the finest known examples of heliodor beryl from a historic mining region in Northern Ukraine, not far from the southern border of Belarus, were shown tothe western world. These had been found as far back as the 1940s but outside of the Ukraine they were unknown. This region is well known to have produced several gem minerals including very fine topaz and aquamarine. The heliodor crystals vary in color from greenish to pure yellow. Many of these earlier discoveries can now be seen in the Fersman Museum in Moscow and the local Museum of Precious Stones in Wolhynia. Prior to this the miners were mining for quartz and the yellow beryls were merely curiosities. The early miners gave them to friends as gifts or displayedthem in windows at home because they were colorful. They had no idea of their value. This crystal is among the rarest and most desirable due to its unusually rich pure yellowcolor, fine "window" like etching and nearly completely flawless interior. This specimen is included in our current exhibition; "Underground Hues" and is pictured in the exhibition catalog, pg. 44-45 and 48-49. Wilensky Exquisite Mineral Gallery 173 10th Ave. Chelsea Art District Corner of 10th Ave. & 20th St. NY, NY 10011 wilenskyminerals.com PhotobyEvanD'Arpino