DALLAS, TX.- A stunning Elbaite and Lepidolite specimen from an elusive but exceptionally fertile Brazilian mine will become a centerpiece in a new collection when it is sold in Heritage Auctions' Fine Minerals Signature® Auction Oct. 4.

This Elbaite and Lepidolite on Quartz (estimate: $100,000+) is exceptional in many ways, from stunning aesthetics to size. It stands a little over 21 centimeters (8-1/4 inches) tall, with gorgeous sea-green Elbaite crystals crossing each other to almost form an upside-down triangle shape, accented by touches of purple Lepidolite on some of the terminations.

"The Chia mine doesn't produce a high quantity of specimens, but the quality that comes from that mine often is exceptional, as is the case with this beautiful piece," said Nic Valenzuela, Associate Specialist of Nature and Science at Heritage Auctions. "Museum-quality examples like this one, which is the first ever offered from the Chia mine at Heritage, are rare – harder to find than material from other large Brazilian pegmatite localities. The three-dimensional beauty of this specimen is exceptional, and represents an exceptional opportunity for the winning bidder."

From the collection of Jack Halpern, one of the most significant and important minerals collectors of his generation, comes a magnificent Heliodor (estimate: $70,000+) that stands 11.8 centimeters (more than 4-1/2 inches) high. From Volodarsk-Volynskiy, this specimen has an incredible natural etching that is caused by the solution in the pockets in which the that the crystals grew. This etching forms intricate, geometric patterns across all of the surfaces, allowing the viewer of the specimen to get lost in all of the detail. Heliodor is the yellow variety of Beryl; in this case, a bright, well-saturated yellow, like that of a sunflower. This color is indicative of this specimen being one of the earliest of the find, where the color was purer.

The Fluorites from the picturesque French Alps are among the most sought-after in the world, especially those that are on matrix, or associated with Quartz. This Quartz on Fluorite (estimate: $40,000+), measuring 12.7 centimeters (nearly 5 inches) long, boasts magnificent color, a perfect medium pink that glows when hit with light. This Fluorite is prized by collectors and difficult to find, and therefore rarely reaches the market – partly because of the arduous journey required to collect them: many of the pockets found are high in the mountains and glaciers of the Alps, at more than 9,000 feet (~3,000 meters) above sea level.




A Green Fluorite on Pyrite and Galena (estimate: $30,000+) boasts a deeper and brighter green than the majority of Fluorite specimens in all of Peru. It has eye-catching appeal, with Fluorite crystals that measure 13.9 centimeters (more than 2 inches) in length and are stacked right through the middle of the matrix, flanked on either side by highly lustrous and well-formed dodecahedral Pyrite crystals. The Fluorite crystals are also nicely framed by a thin vein of silvery Galena on either side.

A Fluorite (estimate: $20,000+) from the renowned August 2019 find in Inner Mongolia region of China. Prior to this find, the only major occurrence of pink Fluorites were the French and Swiss Alps, but the color on this specimen surpasses many from those old European finds. This cluster has a deep pink, almost red hue, accented by a deep forest green that comes from the Byssolite and Hedenbergite inclusions. There are even two tiny Quartz crystals situated at the bottom of the specimen.

The auction features 19 lots from The Braga Collection, a fine mineral collection from the East Coast that includes exceptional, museum-worthy display pieces, several of which are large, high-quality sculptural specimens. Highlights from the Braga Collection include, but are not limited to:

• A Calcite & Fluorite "Sailboat" (estimate: $45,000+) from the Elmwood Mine in Tennessee
• An Aquamarine and Albite on Muscovite ($30,000+) from Nagar, Pakistan
• A Tanzanite (estimate: $20,000+) from Tanzania
• A Fluorite on Muscovite (estimate: $20,000+) from the pegmatites of Pakistan

Other top lots include, but are not limited to:

• A Tourmaline var. Rubellite (estimate: $15,000+)
• A Wulfenite Significant Specimen ($15,000+)
• A Stibnite ($10,000+)
• An Aurichalcite in Calcite ($7,000+)