Pseudomorphs and Casts Minerals Gallery M&W Minerals

Pseudomorphs and Casts Gallery

On this gallery, are gathered all the specimens on this website which are considered pseudomorphs. A pseudomorph is a mineral or mineral compound which is in an atypical form, which has resulted from a substitution process in which the appearance and dimensions of one mineral have been retained, but the original mineral is replaced by another. The name literally means "false form". There are essentially 3 kinds of pseudmorphs which are the following:

Substitution Pseudomorphs: In these specimens, one mineral has been completely chemically substituted by another mineral. The shape of the original mineral is retained, but color, hardness, and density are usually different (and often luster).

Alteration Pseudomorphs: In these specimens, only a partial substitution has occurred. This leads to a specimen with a layer of the new mineral with an interior of the original mineral with the shape of the original mineral.

Perimorphs: In these specimens, one mineral has been coated by another and the original has dissolved. This usually leads to a specimen with a mix of surfaces both of the new mineral and the surfaces of the dissolved mineral. A gray area is where this

dissolution is not natural. A case in point, Michigan Copper specimens are often found as casts after Calcite. In some cases, the dissolution has occurred due to acidic natural solutions but in other cases the Calcite has been purposely etched out with acid. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between the two.

Casts: In these specimens, a mineral has formed but it's shape has been determined by the environment in which it formed. Two examples are geodes and Michigan Copper Skulls and Amygdules.

minerals in alphabetical order by first letter only
(this is the primary mineral of the specimen - the pseudomorph may be a secondary mineral)

click on the title link or photo to proceed to a specimen's page

V

6410 K-Feldspar variety: Valencianite with Quartz Pseudomorph after Calcite

Mina Valencia, Guanajuato, Mexico
al₂PO₄(OH)₃
Ex. Robert Gannon, 1960/70s
6.7 x 5.9 x 3.3 cm
$45

U

4349 Uralite, Epidote

Calumet Mine, Turret District, Chaffee Co., Colorado, USA
7.8 x 6.5 x 4.5 cm
Epidote XL is 2.7 long and 1.1 cm in width
$40

3339 Uralite and Epidote with Calcite

Calumet Mine, Turret District, Chaffee Co., Colorado, USA
11.5 x 7.5 x 5.5 cm
Largest XL 7 x 3 x 1 mm
$30

S

6759 Smithsonite on Quartz Pseudomorphs

Philadelphia Mine, Rush, Rush Creek District, Marion Co., Arkansas
6.5 x 6.4 x 3.2 cm
$100

6531 Smithsonite Pseudomorh after Calcite

Mina San Antonio, East Camp, Santa Eulalia Dist., Mun. de Aquiles Serdan, Chihuahua, Mexico
7.6 x 6 x 4.2 cm
$75

4408 Smoky Quartz with Included Hematite, Goethite Pseudomorphs after Siderite, Microcline

Teller Co., Colorado
15.8 x 6.6 x 4.6 cm
$85

R

6860 Rockbridgeite, Psuedomophs Casts after Unknown Crystals

Conselheiro Pena, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ex. Luiz Menezes
7 x 4.4 x 1.6 cm
The primary Albite crystal is 1.5 cm thick.
$35

Q

6983 Quartz Pseudomorph after Calcite with Quartz Crystals stained with Iron Oxides Barstow area, San Bernardino Co., California Ex. E. Morales from J. Minnette, Nov. 1983 3.9 x 2.7 x 1.8 cm $100	6923 Quartz Pseudomorph after Calcite Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico Ex. E. Morales from the Mineral Cabinet, Seton Hall show, Aug. 1982 7 x 5.8 x 4.1 cm $150	6886 Quartz variety: Chalcedony pseudomorph after Aragonite Valle de las Plumas (Valle de los Martires), Las Plumas, Martires Dept., Chubut Prov., Argentina Ex. Norm Woods 7.2 x 6.3 x 5.6 cm $75
6353 Quartz Pseuodomorph after Anhydrite Danialo Mine, Sao Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Ex. E. Morales, purchased from Aurora Minerals, New York Show, Nov. 1981 6.1 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm $75	6105 Quartz Pseudomorph/Epimorph after Hemimorphite Mapimi, Durango, Mexico 1970s 12.6 x 9.6 x 4.7 cm $100	5977 Hematite Pseudomorph after Epidote with Quartz Bessemer Claim, Bessemer Ridge, Green Mountain, North Bend, King Co., Washington Ex. Steve Pullman, Ex. David Shannon 6.8 x 3.8 x 2 cm $50
5915 Quartz Epimorph after Fluorite Silverton, San Juan Co., Colorado from Rock & Minerals Denver Auction, Ex. George Witters 11.1 x 6.8 x 4.2 cm $100	5490 Smoky Quartz Pseudomorph Bor Pit (Boron Pit), Dal'negorsk B deposit, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia 7.8 x 4 x 2.8 cm $150	5263 Smoky Quartz, Hematite, Copper Stained Chalcedony with Pseudomophs and Casts Mexico (likely Concepcio del Oro, Zacatecas, Mexico) Ex. Robert Gannon 6.5 x 5.8 x 6.4 cm Uprght crystal measures 4.5 cm tall. $75
5064 Quartz and Hematite Pseudomorph after Epidote Bessemer Claim, Bessemer Ridge, Green Mountain, North Bend, King Co., Washington Ex. Steve Pullman 7.7 x 3.8 x 2.2 cm $50	3111 Quartz Pseudomorph after Poker Chip Calcite Guanajuato, Mexico 14 x 12.6 x 7.3 cm $75

P

6809 Pyrite Psuedomorph after Marcasite, Quartz, Dolomite, Calcite Pilot Mine, Nanisivik Mine, Nanisivik, Baffin Island, Nunavut Territory, Canada 20.6 x 15 x 7.2 cm $250	6724 Pyrolusite Pseudomorph after Manganite Gremmelsbach, Triberg im Schwarzwald (Black Forest), Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany Ex. George Balogh 4.5 x 2.3 x 2 cm $75	6681 Prehnite Pseudomorphs after Anhydrite, Stilbite, Calcite Paterson, Passaic Co., New Jersey Ex. E. Morales from ALW Collections, 1996 4.8 x 4 x 3.6 cm $30
1663 Petrified Wood Montana 10.5 x 8.4 x 3.8 cm $15

M

6855 Malachite Pseudomorph after Azurite Sacramento pit, Sacramento Hill, Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona Early 1900s 3.4 x 1.8 x 1 cm $150	6765 Chatoyant Malachite Psuedomorph after Azurite Tsumeb, Namibia 4.2 x 3.5 x 2.4 cm $175	6521 Marcasite Cast after Calcite, Galena coated with Lead and Iron Oxides Joplin Field, Tri-State District, Jasper Co., Missouri 9.3 x 9 x 5.9 cm $50
5920 Malachite and Malachite Pseudomorh after Azurite Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona 4.8 x 3.8 x 3.9 cm $35	5027 Malachite on Quartz with Casts after Calcite, Minor Chalcopyrite Mina El Cobre, Zacatecas, Mexico Ex. Robert Gannon 7.8 x 6.3 x 4.2 cm $45	4629 Malachite Pseudomorph after Azurite Tsumeb, Namibia 5.2 x 2.8 x 1.6 cm $150
2062 Mimetite on Goethite pseudomorphs after Calcite Megala Pefka Mine No. 28, Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District, Attiki (Attica) Prefecture, Greece Ex. Steve Pullman 6.2 x 6 x 1.5 cm $50

L

5330 Limonite Pseudomorph after Marcasite and Spahlerite with Dolomite and Calcite

Fairdale Quarry (I-39 Quarry), Rochelle, Ogle Co., Illinois
5.1 x 5.2 x 4.9 cm
Largest crystal measures 1.2 cm across.
$45

H

6659 Hematite Pseudomorph after Magnetite (Martite)

Payun Martu, Altiplano de Payun Matru, Malargue Dept., Mendoza Prov., Argentina
Ex. Norm Woods
6.5 x 6 x 4 cm
$60

G

6475 Goethite Pseudomorph after Octahedral Pyrite

North Salinas Valley, Inyo Co., California
Ex. E. Morales from J. Minette, 1983
6.9 x 4.4 x 3.3 cm
$75

F

6959 Fluorapophyllite on Prehnite Pseudomorphs after Laumontite

Poona, India
Ex. E. Morales from Ro-Me-India, Munich Show, Oct. 1980
5.1 x 4.1 x 3.2 cm
$75

6545 Fluorite on Quartz with Pseudomorphic Casts after Fluorite

Frazer's Hush Mine, Rookhope, Stanhope, County Durham, England
UV Fluorescent
12 x 11.2 x 5.3 cm
$250

5467 Fluorite on and within Quartz Pseudomorphs after Calcite Coated with Montromite

Prospectors Delight Mine (Black Knife Mine), Cuchillo Negro Dist., Sierra Cuchillo, Sierra Co., New Mexico
Ex. Wright's Rock Shop
10.8 x 7.2 x 6.5 cm
$100

D

6108 Dolomite Pseudomorph/Epimorph after Calcite

Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
1960s
9.5 x 5.8 x 3.5 cm
The Dolomite is approximately 2 mm thick.
$70

6021 Datolite Crystals and Smoky Quartz with Pseudomorphic Casts after Calcite

Bor Pit (Boron Pit), Dal'negorsk B deposit, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia
12.2 x 7.5 x 4.7 cm
$200

5853 Datolite and Quartz with Casts after Calcite

Bor Pit (Boron Pit), Dal'negorsk B deposit, Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Far-Eastern Region, Russia
10.8 x 8.5 x 4.3 cm
$600

C

6694 Calcite with Psuedomorphic Casts Hardin Co., Illinois Ex. A. Neely, 1960s 11.4 x 7.8 x 5 cm $45	6374 Chrysocolla Pseudomoprh after Malachite, Micro Crystals of Dioptase Bonanza Mine (Harquahala Mine), Martin Peak, Salome, Little Harquahala Dist., Little Harquahala Mts, La Paz Co., Arizona Ex. Steve Pullman, Ex. Fraziers 9.9 x 7 x 5.6 cm labeled as Bisbeeite $45	6200 Calcite Crystals with Small Casts Santa Eulalia District, Mun. de Aquiles Serdan, Chihuahua, Mexico 1970s 14.1 x 12.2 x 7.1 cm $50
5916 Cerussite Pseudomorh after Galena, Linarite, Brochantite, Quartz Blanchard Mine, Bingham, Hansonburg District, Socorro Co., New Mexico 5.7 x 4.4 x 3.1 cm $75	5878 Chalcocite Crystals on Massive Chaclcocite with Cast Wheal Pendarves, Killivose, Camborne, Cornwall, England 4.4 x 3.7 x 3.3 cm $100