Minerals by Blake

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Minerals by Blake

Welcome to Minerals by Blake! Provenance is Key - curating exquisite, one of a kind, pieces.

07/29/2026

FS - We certainly love a sort of “off the books” kind of pocket when it comes to rounding out a suite of fluorites from a specific mine. And now that this mine is officially closed it makes it that much harder to secure these small and adorable pieces in your collection.

Featured today during the evening amber glow is this cutie from the Wilson Vein, Lady Annabella Mine, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England. The Wilson Vein is one of the primary veins the Lady Annabella Mine exploited in the old Eastgate Quarry and housed such pockets as Fairy Holes, Helen’s and more! Our featured mini is what stood out from all the other pockets that were named and released formally - colorless fluorites with some pillowy calcite filling in all the nooks and crannies.

Message me to add this perfect ‘lil mini into your collection today!

07/25/2026

Completely forgot I took this glamor shot while I was out in California last year - better late than never! Featured today for is this “almost” colorless fluorite from the Heights Mine, Westgate, Weardale, North Pennines, Co. Durham, England.

The Heights Mine proper was primarily worked between 1850 and 1868 for lead and iron ore. The three main veins were the parallel North and South veins and the intersecting West Cross vein. The flats associated with these veins are quite “vuggy” and hosted some amazing green, twinned, fluorite with the more uncommon pale purple and colorless specimens.

Today’s featured twin is that more uncommon example of colorless fluorite with minor inclusions that led to the pale hints of yellow and purple seen on the sun with an overall blue hue. Some well formed, doubly terminated, quartz crystal are also hosted on the crystal’s face.

Blake Lanser Collection, BL0183

07/15/2026

I said goodbye the other day to this amazing piece - lovely aesthetics, perfect co-associations and such a weirdo as far as English fluorites go. If you played today’s story guessing game you’ve seen this specimen but it certainly warranted a separate post 🤍

Featured today is this stunner from the Ladywash Mine, Eyam, Derbyshire Dales District, Derbyshire, England. The unique aspect of these colorless fluorites are the sulphide inclusions, or the silver specks of marcasite, suspended in time and appearing to float. On some crystals you can also see a minor presence of iridescent chalcopyrite.

The closure of this historic mine in 1979 leaves behind some old buildings, the main shaft and a ruble pile that some minor fluorites and calcites can still be collected from today.

Ex. Blake Lanser Collection, BL0192
minID: 2MX-8KP

07/14/2026

Circling back to my mineral beginnings, I thought it was time to show off my first fluorite from the UK that entered by collection – the first I ever purchased. I’ve been looking back a lot over the last three years of Minerals by Blake and all the changes I’ve seen in this wonderful community and where I see myself heading as a part of this ever-changing puzzle.

Featured today is this perfect cube of fluorite sitting on a cushy “cloud” of galena from the Purple Rain Pocket of the closed Lady Annabella Mine, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England. Purple Rain immediately caught my eye in a live when I saw the craziness of its daylight fluorescence – it’s quite unmatched. Not to mention the aesthetics of this piece are off the chart. While the cube is not the most lustrous or translucent, it certainly makes up for those shortcomings by being flawless with no dings, dents or contacts. The back of the crystal shows how this nodule of galena grew which became host to the incomparable purple fluorites we have all fallen in love with.

Sometimes it’s good to take a breather and appreciate where you started and where you’re at – no matter what’s happened along the journey I’m happy to have been on this path!

Blake Lanser Collection, BL0001

07/08/2026

FS - Weardale Wednesday is here and let’s feature a pocket that took our breath away as it meant the end of an era!

Today’s specimen comes from the Rainbow’s End Pocket of the closed Lady Annabella Mine, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England. This final pocket meant the end of an era after so many beloved pockets came out of this mind. Marked by the end of the rainbow itself this pocket featured emerald green fluorites with the more stunning specimens containing zones of purple, yellow and outer clear - exactly like today’s feature. I very much so adore the dominant twin with the double pe*******on twin just to the side.

Available to add to your collection today - send a message!

07/01/2026

Weardale Wednesday calls for a piece with 34+ years of history under its crystalline structure. Today’s featured specimen comes from the 295 Level, Greencleugh Vein, Frazer’s Hush Mine, Rookhope, Weardale, North Pennines, Co. Durham, England.

Recovered in 1992 by Robert Forster of Blancheland this elongated, opaque, purple fluorite crystal appears to have a waxy surface with minor limonite. Upon closer inspection we see the pale-green core with the small, elongated cubes of fluorite attached to the side that are along for the ride share the same characteristics. The point of contact shows this crystal once sat on a small bed of milky white quartz crystals.

Formerly in the collection of Patricia Greenbank, an avid collector of adorable and odd minis, this piece pacts an impressive lineage thanks to her meticulous records.

Ex. Patricia Greenbank, PG 336
Blake Lanser Collection, BL0095

06/27/2026

Long time no see! I’ve been real busy on some side projects and it’s now time to get back to posting. For today’s edition of Fluorite Friday I’m featuring a fabulous twin that’s currently on it’s way to a new collector’s home - and it’s joining what I can only imagine is a world-class collection!

Coming from the newest UKMV pocket - the Pyjama Pocket, Diana Maria Mine, Frosterley, Weardale, Co. Durham, England - is this stunning, lustrous, vibrant and all-around fabulous twin of emerald-green fluorite.

The Pyjama Pocket was found in 2025, release in early 2026, and it continues to set the standard for green fluorites. The pocket is at the furthest drive north at Diana Maria and sits alongside the Greenbank Vein. It was named for Harry the miner and the trousers her wore; resembling pyjama pants.

Ex. Minerals by Blake, MBB0004

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day to all the rock-dads out there!

Heavy Metal Pocket, Diana Maria Mine, Frosterley, Weardale, Co. Durham, England.

06/16/2026

FS - My collecting style can certainly be characterized by “unique weirdos that a lot of people pass over the first time.” Today’s featured specimen definitely fits the bill for a unique weirdo.

Coming out of the Poison Ivy Pocket of the closed Lady Annabella Mine, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham, England is this cluster with a whole lot going on. This pocket was made up of the primary pocket itself and three sub pockets noted within the region of the mine - Toxic Apple, Minty Cheesecake and the lesser known Mini Gem.

What makes this piece so unique is it adds a little sprinkle of all four iterations into one handheld specimen. The larger cubes exhibit traits from Toxic Apple with intense electric greens and from Minty Cheesecake with frosted mint-green faces. From Mini Gem we see a ridge of small, gem-like twins of pale green fluorite and from the region is a whole the association with crude cuboctahedral galena crystals.

Not too often that we see such an amalgamation of different pockets all fitting in the palm of your hand! This piece is available to add to your collection today.

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