Detailed Description

Highly lustrous specimen of vanadinite crystals. What’s great about this one is the way the colours are distributed – the red crystals have tan-coloured highlights on many edges – this gives the shapes extra definition. The specimen has considerable tan colouring on the back side (from what I would consider the main viewing angle).  Largest crystal is 1.0 cm.  Cool piece!

About these Vanadinites and the ACF Mine Workings

These are top quality miniature specimens of vanadinite crystals from the Mibladen Mining District, the source of the world’s best vanadinite. They are from one of the main localities for the vanadinite specimens, known as the ACF Mine Workings – underground tunnels and workings, created by specimen miners in search of vanadinite. These workings are accessed from the original ACF Mine incline/shaft. If you’d like to see more about the Mibladen Mining District, including photos of some of the vanadinite workings, see Morocco: The Northern Sahara and the Atlas Mountains (Part 2). (Note, the big hole depicted in the first photograph in the other half of the article – see Part 1 –  is also a vanadinite specimen-mining operation.)