Specimens from JV's Benitoite Collection

As you may or may not know, all that I collect in the way of minerals are Benitoite and the various species that are found at the Benitoite Gem Mine.  That's it.  Everything else that I get my hands on ends up going out the door one way or another - including specimens from my favorite place on Earth.

A number of people have requested a look at some of the benitoite specimens in my collection.  So, with the advent of the Benitoite.com website in May 2001 I have taken some pictures of a few of them for your perusal and/or enjoyment.

I have been collecting only benitoite and minerals from the Benitoite Gem Mine since 1977.  These are a few of the specimens which reflect my personal selection from literally thousands of specimens viewed during this period.   It has not been a pocket book friendly experience either...  It is not easy to locate or inexpensive to obtain outstanding specimens from this interesting locality.

The focus of my collection is on interesting characteristics or habits.  Many of the specimens I have in my collection are small (thumbnails comprise the majority) but are interesting to me by virtue of their unusual crystal habit, aesthetics and associations.

Sorry, but these specimens are most definitely not for sale.

Over time I will continue to add additional specimen images as I get around to it.

New specimens were added:

May 10th, 2001
July 25th, 2001
October 15th, 2001
May 25th, 2002
April 17th, 2003
May 9, 2007

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JTV-001
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California
 
 

This specimen is a Thumbnail sized rock consisting of two perfect triply terminated benitoite crystals with a doubly terminated neptunite stuck between the two.  This rock is my favorite of all the specimens I have.

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JTV-019
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a triply terminated floater.  It consists of several intergrown crystals without any contact that I can find anywhere.  The crystal is 1.7 cm across.

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JTV-002
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

Large cabinet specimen with over 50 crystals of benitoite - several triply termainted and a lustrous, doubly terminated, 4.3 cm crystal of neptunite.  The largest benitoite crystal is the flat lying crystal and it is 2.7 cm across!

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JTV-010
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

Miniature specimen with a dozen or so crystals with exceptional ocillatory development between c & p faces.  Most crystals have a & d faces or at least one or the other.   The crystals are gemmy and lustrous.

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JTV-065
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a miniature sized specimen over all with a "thicket" of neptunite crystals and one of the most interesting benitoite crystals I have ever seen!  The 0.7 cm crystal has a hoppered c face.  The crystal is gemmy as seen in the picture but the c-face is inverted which is unique in my experience!  I haven't ever seen a crystal like this on well over 5000 benitoite specimens I have handled or viewed.

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JTV-003
Benitoite, Neptunite & Joaquinite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a miniature sized specimen with several lustrous crystals of neptunite to 2.5 cm in length and several crystals of benitoite including the small 0.5 cm crystal with the joaquinite crystals and the killer 1 cm pure gem crystal perched on a neptunite crystal.

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JTV-005
Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a small cabinet sized specimen of neptunite.  There are well over 200 crystals of neptunite on this rock - all in perfect condition and superb luster.  The largest crystal in this black forest is 1.6 cm in length.

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JTV-113
Apatite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This specimen of crossite and natrolite has numerous prismatic crystals of colorless apatite to 4 mm in length.  They are non-reactive under SW UV light.
 
 

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JTV-025
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

Eight glassy crystals of deep blue and gemmy benitoite on crossite matrix with very rare "a" and "d" faces.  The largest crystal is 1.4 cm across.

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JTV-015
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

A 0.8 cm triply terminated crystal sets atop crossite and natrolite pedestal.

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JTV-046
Benitoite Twin
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

A 0.9 cm twinned crystal of benitoite.  This specimen has two of the six lobes of a "star of David"

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JTV-178
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a Thumbnail sized specimen hosting a 1 cm gem crystal.  We are talking blue glass here!

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JTV-172
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This specimen is a miniature with a cluster of very lustrous crystals of benitoite to 1.7 cm across. What is particular about this specimen is the very thin nature of the crystals and superb luster. Benitoite is typically dull on all but the c and a faces.  The center of the crystals are included with silica pseudomorphs after serandite.

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JTV-134
Neptunite Twin & Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a cabinet sized specimen of natrolite and crossite hosting crystals of benitoite and neptunite.  This is the best legitimate twin of neptunite I have ever encountered.  The twin measures 2.3 cm across and is a perfect example of twinning on (301) miller indices.  The added attraction are the benitoite crystals which reach up to 1.2 cm across on this rascal.

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JTV-076
Jonesite, Neptunite & Joaquinite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a specimen which has numerous crystals of jonesite as singles.  Associated minerals include neptunite and joaquinite.  The crystal pictured here is 3.5 mm which is MONSTEROUS for the species!

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JTV-030
Benitoite (Released)
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

1.2 cm crystal of benitoite sets atop a pedestal of natrolite and crossite matrix. Also found in micro form are a small joaquinite and neptunite crystal.  No damage to the benitoite which is a deep blue color.

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JTV-101
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This specimen is a small miniature with several very well formed crystals of benitoite including the fine triply terminated crystal which is 1.3 cm across.  The largest crystal on the specimen is 1.7 cm across.

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JTV-188
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This specimen is a miniature with scads of rich blue colored crystals of benitoite to 1.6 cm across.  The center crystal is exceptional in its form while the crystal directly below (upper left picture) it has at least a 2+ carat gemstone!  This one ain't gettin cut!

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JTV-087
Neptunite & Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

Very attractive cabinet sized specimen of a flat lying 1.5 cm crystal of benitoite between two upright crystals of neptunite.  It is not common to get large upright crystals of neptunite like this rock has.  This specimen was formely part of the F. John Barlow Collection.

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JTV-071
Benitoite & Neptunite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is an attractive miniature with several very deep blue crystals of benitoite to 1.5 cm across amidst a bunch of lustrous crystals of neptunite.

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JTV-041
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California
 
 

Who says I don't collect micros!?!?!  This specimen has a number of funky benitoite crystals but it also has this PERFECT 2 mm crystal partiall emerged from natrolite.  When I saw this while cleaning a bunch of specimens several years ago I was smitten by the perfection and the glassy nature of this little guy so in the collection it went.

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JTV-119
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This thumbnail specimen has a very seldom seen chain of attached benitoite crystals.  All of the 6 or 7 crystals comprising this specimen are in perfect condition though a little included with crossite.  If you want to see what I consider to be a truley fine benitoite that currently resides in the LA County Museum visit this link.

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JTV-121
Benitoite
Numero Uno Mine
San Benito County, California

This specimen comes from the Mina Numero Uno Mine which is located about 8 km northwest of the Benitoite Mine.  This location does not have much in the way of natrolite so most benitoite found there is exposed in thin veins.  Only when the veins open up do you find crystals like this one.  Most of the veins are very narrow resulting in benitoite that is more or less massive.  This is a VERY choice crystal from this other locality.  It measures 5 mm across.

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JTV-162
Benitoite, Neptunite & Joaquinite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This is a large thumbnail sized specimen of gem quality benitoite with crystals of joaquinite and a single crystal of neptunite.  There are large gem sections in both of these crystals the largest of which is 2 cm across at its widest point.

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JTV-057
Joaquinite, Neptunite & Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This cabinet sized specimen is LOADED with joaquinite crystals!  Well over 500 of them are generously sprinkled over this rock!  There are also over a dozen well terminated neptunite crystals and even a couple of small 3-5 mm benitoite crystals.  For reference the field of view of the lower right photo is about 2.5 cm.  The whole rock measures 11 cm across.

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JTV-139
Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

This small miniature specimen has several gemmy crystals of benitoite - most have fractures and on first appearance would not seem to be all that particularly special.  A closer look however reveals the presence of some of the rarest crystal faces found on benitoite - those of the x faces.  Louderback, in his 1909 description, indicated that he saw this face completely developed on only one specimen out of over five hundred that he examined to describe the crystallography of benitoite.

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JTV-107
Twinned Neptunite & Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

5 x 4.5 x 2 cm specimen with a 1.2 cm twin of neptunite and several crystals of additional neptunite and benitoite.  Some joaquinite also.  This twin is another perfect example of twinning on (301) miller indices.

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JTV-44
Silver with Djurleite & Benitoite
Benitoite Gem Mine
San Benito County, California

3.3 x 2.3 x 1 cm - This specimen has numerous crystals of djurleite to 4 mm across with one 3.5 mm benitoite and one small wire of silver about 1.5 mm in length.  Only known specimen of silver from the mine.

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