I’ve posted some excellent new specimens from the Conselheiro Pena area in this Brazil Update (click here) – a small number of spessartines from the famous 2003 pocket at the Navegadora Mine, and some fine crystals of wodginite from the recent find at the Itatiaia Mine.
Spessartine
These spessartines are from the famous March 2003 pocket at the Navegadora Mine, regarded as the finest garnet pocket found in Brazil. The Navegadora Mine exploits a pegmatite and produces feldspar for commercial purposes – It is not mined for specimens, and this pocket was unique. In an article in Rocks and Minerals (“Spessartine from the Navegadora Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil” Vol. 84, Jan-Feb 2009) author John White discusses how these spessrtines formed. While etching was involved, the specific mechanism that resulted in the final forms of these etched crystals remains a mystery.

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 4.5 cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Close-up of the above specimen, field of view cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 4.8 cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.5 cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.5 cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.5 cm

Spessartine, Navegadora Mine, Penha do Norte, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 2.6 cm

Wodginite

Wodginite is not a common mineral, and it is quite difficult to acquire good crystals. These ones are from a 2017 find that produced a relatively small number of specimens. Their idetification has been confirmed at the University of Arizona, and, along with subsequent EDS work, it has been established that of the various members of the wodginite group, they are wodginite.
When initially found, they were sold within Brazil with incorrect locality information. This is often done to protect an original source soon after a find, although it’s not clear whether that was the reason in this case. In any event, they are confirmed to be from the Itatiaia Mine, and the original attibution of early specimens to “Linopolis District, Divino das Laranjeiras” should be corrected.

Wodginite, Itatiaia Mine, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.5 cm

Wodginite, Itatiaia Mine, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Termination of the same crystal in the photo above
Approx 3 cm as shown

Wodginite, Itatiaia Mine, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.3 cm

Wodginite, Itatiaia Mine, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 3.4 cm

Wodginite, Itatiaia Mine, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil – 1.6 cm wide