Panasqueira Gallery-3

The Panasqueira Gallery includes a number of specimens from the world-famous tungsten and tin specimen-producing mines of Panasqueira in central Portugal. There are three pages to browse with a variety of specimens such as apatite, siderite, arsenopyrite, quartz and others.

WPAN-13/20 - Apatite and siderite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Several highly lustrous, translucent, green hexagonal crystals of apatite to 1.1 cm. across on a matrix of tiny cream-colored siderite crystals with tourmaline needles. The apatite crystals themselves are heavily included with tourmaline needles. One of the two main apatite crystals presents a couple of tiny nicks on an edge, otherwise quite clean of damage.

3.8x3.7x1.8 - 20 €

WPAN-08/120 - Galena and siderite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Heavy mass of crudely crystallized galena with molten appearance and small faces here and there partly coated by prismatic hexagonal tan crystals of siderite to about 5 mm. The galena mass has grown around a core of lustrous golden massive chalcopyrite. Quite clean of damage with only a couple of small cleaved spots. Galena of any kind is always a rare mineral found at Panasqueira, being crystallized this is a great addition to any collection of Panasqueira specimens.

8.5x6.5x5 - 70 €

MS 5/12

WPAN-08/122 - Chalcopyrite and siderite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Large mass of lustrous golden chalcopyrite crystals with most of the surface of a darker color due to a microscopic mixture of chalcopyrite and sphalerite. Bottom is coated by tan prismatic hexagonal crystals of siderite to about 9 mm. with a scattering of tiny golden cubic pyrite crystals. Quite clean of damage, I think that the golden areas are natural but can not be completely sure.

10x8.5x5.8 - 95 €

MS 8/12

WPAN-08/97 - Siderite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Loose tan colored rhombic crystal of siderite with a small 4-mm. colorless quartz crystal attached and a dusting of golden marcasite on some faces. Very minor cleaving on one corner, otherwise undamaged.

4.2x4.1x2.8 - Sold

WPAN-08/100 - Siderite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Loose tan colored rhombic crystal of siderite with minor arsenopyrite and muscovite associated. Undamaged.

6.2x3.1x2.9 - 20 €

WPAN-08/103 - Siderite, marcasite and calcite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Cluster of tan colored rhombic crystals of siderite with a coating of white crystals of calcite to 5 mm. across on the top face. Associated at bottom are silvery crystals of muscovite and lustrous golden crystals of marcasite to about 1 cm. across, these partly epitactically overgrown on arsenopyrite. The smaller siderite crystal at bottom back has some cleaving which allows to appreciate the darker color of the core as is typical in siderites from Panasqueira, otherwise undamaged.

7.3x4.5x4.3 - 30 €

WPAN-07/49 - Apatite and tourmaline

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Slab of matrix with the surface coated by small plates of muscovite on which several crystals and groups of translucent green apatite stand (the largest is 2.3 cm. long as it appears in the picture below). Associated minerals are tiny aggregates of pyrite, a few creamy discs of siderite and numerous needles of tourmaline, many of them crossing through the apatite crystals. The main apatite group is not complete at right at the edge of the specimen, otherwise undamaged.

6.9x6x2.5 - 55 €

WPAN-07/43 - Arsenopyrite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Heavy floater cluster of highly lustrous silvery arsenopyrite crystals to about 1.5 cm. long with serrated edges partly coated at bottom by a layer of white calcite. A few nicks here and there but nothing easily visible.

7.3x5x4.3 - 110 €

WPAN-07/45 - Arsenopyrite, siderite and calcite Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal) Floater cluster of dull blackened striated arsenopyrite crystals to about 1 cm. long coated at bottom by a layer of opaque white dolomite crystals to 6 mm. across. There are tiny white crystals of calcite on areas of the arsenopyrite as well as a few creamy crystals of siderite to 7 mm. across. Interstingly the siderite crystals are epitaxialy overgrown by lustrous white calcite crystals. Just a few nicks here and there but still an interesting specimen. 9.4x3.3x3 - 45 € MS 11/12

WPAN-07/37 - Ferberite, siderite and apatite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Floater cluster of lustrous black crystals of ferberite to 6x4 cm. with a partial coating (mainly at back) of creamy zoned siderite crystals to about 4 mm. across. Siderite itself is also coated by tiny white crystals of calcite and is intermixed with small crystals of apatite. One side of the large ferberite crystal (seen at left in the picture below) has been cleaved sometime in the past but now shows some etching and a few siderite crystals and I really think it may be consider now as natural. Apart of that, it is undamaged.

8.3x5.5x4.6 - 100 €

WPAN-07/38 - Siderite and muscovite

Barroca Grande Mine, Panasqueira, near Silvares (Fundao, Portugal)

Floater loose crystal of dark brown siderite with silvery crystals of muscovite coating some areas. There is a 7-mm. cluster of arsenopyrite crystals and a crystal of lustrous transparent grey apatite associated. It is very uncommon at Panasqueira to find brown siderite without the typical creamy coating (of dolomitic composition) and this specimen is a good example. Undamaged.

3.5x3.5x2.8 - 25 €