Minerals

Brecciated Mookaite – Mooka Springs Western Australia

A small but attractive piece of Mookaite with the distinctive mosaic pattern of cream and brown separated by ever so thin layers of opal. Special texture.

The brecciation is formed by tectonic stress applied to the Mookaite Jasper structure. Over time silica rich waters flow through the fractured structure providing the binding layer.

The jasper structure is formed from the fossilised remains of tiny Radiolaria a creature we know well at Voyager through our interest in microscopy.

7cm by 5cm by 2.5cm weighing 15gm.

Small piece of Mooka and millions of radiolaria.

$20.00

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Honey Calcite – Northern Tasmania

An attractive piece of honey calcite from Flowery Gully, Tamar Valley, Tasmania.

Good example, like this, are occasionally found in pockets within massive dolerite. In the Tamar Valley, the calcite crystals include iron or manganese inclusions which gives it the lovely amber [honey] colouring without removing the natural translucent qualities. Fluorescent under ultraviolet light. Lovely mass of rhombic structures to this example.

10cm by 8cm by 6cm weighing 125gm.

Honey calcite a nice display and seemingly very soothing on the mind

SO SORRY SOLD

$40.00

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Australian Desert Rose – Unusual Gypsum Formation

A nice example of a Gypsum desert rose dug out of the dry lakebed at Woolcunda Station, Coomba, NSW. The location is 125 km south of Broken Hill.

Iron oxide in the sand gives its colouring but it’s the special formation of the crystals [formed by infrequent leaching when the rains actually come] that makes this special.

A nice even sided display, weighing 40 gm and measuring 10cm by 6cm by 4cm

Desert Rose with a very attractive structure.

$35.00

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Antique Mineral Testing Kit – “Superior Blowpipe Set – With Extra Apparatus” by J.T. Letcher of Cornwall. Circa 1880-90. Retailers label overlaid, without loss of information – Tasmania: Hobart Walch & Sons; Launceston Walch Bros & Birchill.

Exceptional Museum quality example rarely found with so many remaining pieces. The only similar example we can find in this condition is displayed online at the virtual museum of the history of mineralogy referencing a “Private Collection”.

These field kits were used in Australia by explorers and geologists. They include apparatus and chemicals for grinding the sample, heating it and observing the colours in the flame to identify the constituent minerals. It has been used, which is great, but not effecting the quality of the contents.

Designed and manufactured by J.T. Letcher of Truro Cornwall and awarded the Society of Arts Silver Medal and the Colonel Croll Prize in International Competition in 1878. Each set guaranteed to equal that deposited at the Society’s House.

The use of the blowpipe was invented in Sweden in the 1700’s and further refined there at the Freiberg Mining Academy in the mid 19th C. This design by J.T. Letcher with its comprehensive accoutrements became the standard in the later Victorian period.

Original brass riveted mahogany box with escutcheon to lid. Contains a specially designed lift out tray with multiple compartments and layers containing tools, the blowpipe, a small anvil, rock hammer, spirit lamp and grease lamp, Numerous chemical reagents including the original “gold bead” in its tube. There is a agate pestle and mortar as well as a tiny crucible that we know was made by Royal Worcester.

The containers are made of box wood with names to top and with a lovely patina. Reagent bottles, miniature test tubes with labels, test tube holder and much more. Original platinum forceps.

The test papers box contains litmus, turmeric and brazil wood papers; along with Platinum wire and foil, tin foil and the tiny remnant of some magnesium. The minute bone spatula is still there … we could go on

The original under-label inside the lid describes the original contents and bar scissors we are struggling to see anything missing

The box still has it’s lock but the key is long gone. It has a worked patina and is still robust.

Something special in the mineral field. The Superior Set by the top maker of the day; along with respected Hobart retailer Walch label – try to find another one and then one like this!

$1,390.00

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Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

A nice example with good crystal definition. Deep but smoky purple, clear at the root, Some hematite inclusions along one edge.

Amethyt is a quartz group mineral with trapezohedral crystals [six sides prism ending in a six sided pyramid].

The Greeks thought that it could counter intoxication and therefore carved drinking vessels from it – they really did have style. The not getting drunk idea is the Greek translation …

Whilst silicon dioxide is the foundation, iron creates the purple hue, other metals make subtle changes.

Wave Hill Station is a bit of a trek.

Weight 250 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 5.0 cm matrix.

Wave Hill Amethyst could keep you sober …

$30.00

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Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

A nice bright lump of the green chrysocolla from the historic Burra Burra Mine in South Australia. Distinctive botryoidal form.

Chrysocolla a hydrous copper phyllosilicate mineral of still debated structure.

The name ancient Greek and first recorded used by Voyager hero Theophrastus.

Chrysocolla can arise in a more blue form – we quite like the even underlying green tone of this sample.

It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies.

Weight 340 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 7.0 cm matrix.

Burra Burra beauty

$85.00

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Brecciated Mookaite – Mooka Springs Western Australia

Honey Calcite – Northern Tasmania

Australian Desert Rose – Unusual Gypsum Formation

Antique Mineral Testing Kit – “Superior Blowpipe Set – With Extra Apparatus” by J.T. Letcher of Cornwall. Circa 1880-90. Retailers label overlaid, without loss of information – Tasmania: Hobart Walch & Sons; Launceston Walch Bros & Birchill.

Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

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