PETERSITE-(Y)
Laurel Hill (Snake Hill), Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey (type locale)
Petersite-(Y) is a REE and phosphate analog of Mixite, first described from this locality circa 1982.  It occurs as extremely tiny (30X required for best appreciation), pale lime-yellow-green acicular sprays in matrix, usually associated with Malachite and/or Chrysocolla.  These specimens were collected in the late 1980’s.  The locality has been closed to collecting for many years.  References: “Handbook of Mineralogy”, Vol. IV, P. 449 (2000), and “Dana’s New Mineralogy”, Eighth Edition, Gaines, et al, P. 891 (1997).

Photographs taken with the Dino-Lite Digital Microscope.

EDGARBAILEYITE, CINNABAR
Clear Creek Mine, Southern San Benito County, California
The Clear Creek Mine is one of the three type localities for Edgarbaileyite, the first known silicate of mercury.  This specimen is from the Ed Oyler collection – Edoylerite was also described as a new Hg-bearing mineral species from this locality.  Edgarbaileyite is green to yellow-green, and is almost always found as very thin coatings on the silica-carbonate rock matrix.  On this specimen, the Edgarbaileyite forms a very thin yellow-green coating near the center of the specimen, in an eye-shaped area measuring up to /8” long X 1/2” wide.  Magnification of 10-20X is required for best appreciation of the Edgarbaileyite, as the mineral is always sparse on the matrix.  Massive red Cinnabar surrounds the Edgarbaileyite, and minor micro Montroydite and native Mercury are also present in very small amounts in direct association with the Edgarbaileyite.  For additional background information on Edgarbaileyite, see the following back issues of the “Mineralogical Record” magazine: Vol. 21, P. 215-220 (May-June 1990), and Vol. 36, No. 4, P. 344 (July-Aug. 2005).
Specimen size:  2 5/8” X 2 1/4” across, X  up to 1 3/8” thick
Order Item: MI-1243 
Price:  $45.

SMITHSONITE Var. Mangansmithsonite
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
Mangansmithsonite is a little known variety of Smithsonite with the composition: (Zn,Mn)CO₃.  Mentions of Mangansmithsonite are made in the following publications / books:
1.  “Mineralogical Record”, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Tsumeb special issue), P. 32.
2.  “Tsumeb II”, G. Gebhard, P. 218 (photo only).
A search for additional data revealed that Tsumeb is the only reported locality for Mangansmithsonite, and it may be the only locality where the Manganoan variety has been found.  This specimen has very sharp, pale pink to medium pink rhombohedral crystals on what appears to be massive black Tennantite matrix.   Mangansmithsonite crystals are always very sharp, rhombohedral in form, in contrast to the often rounded faces of rhombohedral Cobaltsmithsonite. Thin coatings of a white crystalline mineral are present on all sides of the specimen – this mineral is an unknown.  Claude Yoder collection.
Specimen size:  2 3/8” X 1 1/2” X 1 3/8”
Order Item:  MI-1242
Price:  $165.00

XENOTIME-(Y)
Novo Horizonte, State of Bahia, Brazil
Xenotime-(Y) is a rare earth element-bearing (REE) mineral – a yttrium phosphate.  While it is not an uncommon mineral, Xenotime-(Y) is definitely rare in sharp, translucent crystals in sizes larger than micromounts!  These crystals were mined circa 1996-1997.  Items A., C., E. and G. are single crystals (E. is double terminated).  Items B. and F. are crystal groups.  Item H. has a single terminated Xenotime-(Y) crystal attached to a group of irregularly formed Quartz crystals.  The largest Quartz crystal is 1 1/2” long, and another Quartz crystal on the specimen is 1” long.  The remainder of the specimen is composed of Quartz crystal sections and massive Quartz, with a very minor amount of crystalline / massive Rutile and Hematite associated on the back of the specimen.  Matrix specimens from this locality are very uncommon.  Items I., J., and K. are non-terminated crystal sections, suitable for reference / systematic collection.  The gram weights of the terminated crystal specimens are given as an aid in providing data on the overall size of each specimen.  The pricing is not relative to the gram weight.  On the crystal sections, the pricing is calculated at $3.00 / gram.

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