TELLURIUM
Specimen tel-5

Dims: 1.2" x 1.0" x 0.9" (3.0 x 2.5 x 2.3 cm)

Wt: 16.7 g

Kawazu Mine, Shimoda shi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

I think that this native Tellurium specimen, apart from being rather rare, is our first to come from Japan. It consists of what appears to be a pale brown quartzite host rock in which several spots of Tellurium are embedded. They are very small, not measuring more than 2 mm in any visible dimension, and most of what is visible lies on a freshly broken face of the rock. Thus, it is impossible to see any "damage". The Tellurium has a moderate gray coloration and a metallic luster that is quite bright in a few tiny patches. There seems to be a substantial amount of the material visible on some of the host rock's dirtier surfaces, but it would take some cleaning and maybe even a bit of light sanding to make certain.

Dims: 1.4 x 1.2 x 0.9" (3.6 x 3.0 x 2.3 cm)

Wt: 25.5 g

Mina la Bombollite, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

A vein of semi-crystalline Native Tellurium runs through the quartzite host of this thumbnail specimen. Some of the material may occur as tiny crystals, but these would be very small and likely quite warped due to intense intergrowth with each other and lack of room. The material does show definite crystalline tendencies. Its color is a pale silvery-gray, and its luster is bright and metallic. It appears to fill a crevice between a layer of gray quartzite and a layer of softer, pale brown sandstone.

Dims: 2.0 x 1.2 x 0.9" (5.1 x 3.0 x 2.3 cm)

Wt: 1.10 oz. (31.3 g)

Mina la Bombollite, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

This specimen consists of a dull, pale brown host rock through which extend several veins of bright, silvery Tellurium. The metal shows no appreciable crystal form: just its silvery-gray color and bright metallic luster. There is also one miniscule hollow on its surface out of which extend several very tiny, yellow tellurite needles. It was collected by Mathias Rheinlander in March of 1995.

Dims: 1.7 x 1.3 x 0.9" (4.4 x 3.4 x 2.4 cm)

Wt: 1.6 oz. (45 g)

Mina la Bombollite, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

A few small patches of native Tellurium rest on the quartzite base of this hand specimen. This metal shows no evidence of crystal form and has the classic silvery-white color and metallic luster of is specie. It is surrounded by patches of powdery, yellow tellurite, a simple oxide. Collected by M. Rheinlander in March, 1995.

Dims: 2.2 x 2.0 x 1.5" (5.5 x 5.0 x 3.9 cm)

Wt: 4.3 oz. (122 g)

Mina la Bombollite, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

A vein of shapeless native Tellurium is runs through the quarztite host of this hand specimen. The metal shows no crystal form and has the classic silvery gray-white color and bright metallic luster of the metal. The host appears to be made up of both quartzite and microcrystalline quartz, and contains a few tiny druses.

Dims: 0.99x0.71x0.70" (2.52x1.80x1.78cm)

Wt: 0.23oz (6.4g)

Faczebaya, Romania

The telurium specimen is from the type locality. The crystals are embedded in one face of the host rock as hundreds of tiny metallic specs. Under a loupe, some resolve into tiny needles, but I cannot determine if this is a natural crystal form or simply vein growth into host cavities. Without using a loupe, the telurium is barely visible as tiny metallic glints, but with a loupe the hundreds of tiny specs are apparent.