Italian minerals page

In this section, the western side of Alpine regions is represented by the Switzerland area that is bordering with Italy (Piemonte), more precisely by the two cantons of Valais (closed to Italy) and Berne (north of the other one)

	Anatase On this piece (a large quartz specimen with fat and short XX) there are dozens of small anatase XX, with different color. There is also brookite, not terminated since tips are immersed in quartz 12x10cm Feldbach Valley (Feldbachtal), Binn Valley, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.180 Other photos
	Calcite Large scalenohedron of calcite, fat and corroded, with some small XX of pyrite 7x10cm Furka basis tunnel (west o east-URI section?), Furka pass area, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.1229
	Fluorite Octahedron with truncated tips (with cubic faces). The color is interesting and it seems to me not frequent for Alpine fissure. There is a clear violet phantom inside the X, transparent but darker, with the shape of octahedron; the external part is clearer. The X shows the "frozen" surface that sometimes appears in the Alpine minerals. It comes from a place that is famous for quartz and fluorite; in the 18° century a finding of enormous quartz XX was found. The Zinggenstock mountain is near the Grimsel pass, another important place, but it is the entire Grimsel area that is a classic for mineralogists 8x6cm Zinggenstock Mt, Hasli Valley, Grimsel area, Bern. Switzerland Specimen n.730
	Fluorite Opaque pale green XX, edge max 0.5cm, posted on the rock amongst a lot of stellerite XX, with some epistilbite (?). This Swiss deposit has been famous since 18th century for green fluorite, "heulandite" and stellerite 9x6cm Gibelsbach (Giebelsbach), Fiesch, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.888 Another photo: entire piece
	Fluorite Another piece from Gibelsbach: a lot of fluorite XX, max 0.6 wide, on matrix 10x6cm Gibelsbach (Giebelsbach), Fiesch, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.1227 Another photo: entire piece
	Hematite Round aggregates made of of thin XX, up to 1cm wide, posted on quartz matrix with some albite 8x6cm Kleines Furkahorn mt, Furka pass area, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.1226 Another photo: bigger view
	Pyrophyllite Radiating thin XX, pale green, on schistose matrix 8x6cm St.Niklaus, Matt Valley, Zermatt, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.698 Another photo: entire piece
	Quartz Couple of smoked quartz XX, on granite 12x8cm Galenstock mt., Furka pass (between Valais and Uri cantons), Valais side,Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.888
	Quartz Smoked quartz XX up to 5.5 cm long, in a fissure of the rock 10x10cm Furka pass (between Valais and Uri cantons), Valais side,Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.1426 Another photo: different point of view
	Quartz Single smoked quartz XX, covered by a light coating of "chlorite" on a matrix made of adularia (K-feldspar)and byssolite 12x8cm Simplon pass area, Brig, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.955
	Quartz Group of biterminated XX. The Val d'Illiez, north of the Mont Blanc massive, is a classical Alpine skeleton quartz locality, where floater XX can be found in cavitys within sandstone and limestone 9.5x6cm Torrent de la Tille, Troistorrents, Illiez Valley, Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.1022
	Titanite Green-yellow transparent XX, up to 0.6cm long, in the usual Alpine twinned formation, with adularia (K-feldspar)and byssolite, on the schist. The valley is located in the right orographic slope of the more famous Binn Valley (celebrated for solfosalts in the white dolostones) 9x4.5cm Feldbach Valley (Feldbachtal), Binn Valley (Binntal), Valais. Switzerland Specimen n.53 Another photo: a view on byssolite