{"title":"Lorna's Pick","description":"\u003cp\u003eLorna's Pick is a personal selection of mineral specimens that genuinely stand out to me.\u003cbr data-start=\"267\" data-end=\"270\"\u003eThey are not necessarily the most expensive or rarest pieces, but ones I find exceptional in beauty, crystal quality, composition, and character.\u003cbr data-start=\"415\" data-end=\"418\"\u003eSome are standout pieces from a larger batch, while others may come from my personal collection.\u003cbr data-start=\"514\" data-end=\"517\"\u003eEach Lorna's Pick includes an exclusive mineral card and a handwritten note from me.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"霰石-西班牙-1","title":"Aragonite - Cuenca, Spain","description":"","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42940580298815,"sku":null,"price":1650.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/IMG_8209.jpg?v=1771789084"},{"product_id":"螢石-義大利西西里-12","title":"Fluorite - Termini Imerese, Sicily, Italy","description":"\u003cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003e\u003c!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--\u003e\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLocality: Poggio Balate, Termini Imerese, Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, Italy\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 105*80*60mm\/516g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFluorite from Sicily is rare to begin with — but this grey frosted crystal with inclusions variety from Poggio Balate is among its most quietly unforgettable expressions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFluorite from Termini Imerese\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhere the locality is known for deep blues and vivid greens, these specimens take a different path: muted, contemplative, and unmistakably present. Their soft grey hue and inclusion carry the serene quality of ceramic\u0026nbsp; — understated in color, extraordinary in character. Some pieces grow alongside ivory-white barite, its cream-colored crystal sprays curling like piped frosting, delicate yet dimensional. Others display crisp violet phantom borders, or banded interiors that shift through multiple tonal layers — each one a singular record of geological time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot the loudest in the room. Rarely the easiest to find.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"458\" height=\"814\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PyZl5lD2P5A\" title=\"2026年6月13日\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"2026年6月13日\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3zg1Lnwvl9Y\" height=\"814\" width=\"458\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43389144531007,"sku":"IT26-FL018","price":8200.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/IT26-FL018-01.jpg?v=1781204749"},{"product_id":"螢石-義大利西西里-15","title":"Fluorite - Termini Imerese, Sicily, Italy","description":"\u003cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003e\u003c!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--\u003e\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLocality: Poggio Balate, Termini Imerese, Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, Italy\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 120*75*60mm\/600g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFluorite from Sicily is rare to begin with — but this grey-purple variety from Poggio Balate is among its most quietly unforgettable expressions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFluorite from Termini Imerese\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhere the locality is known for deep blues and vivid greens, these specimens take a different path: muted, contemplative, and unmistakably present. Their soft grey-lavender hue carries the serene quality of Song Dynasty Ru ware — understated in color, extraordinary in character. Some pieces grow alongside ivory-white barite, its cream-colored crystal sprays curling like piped frosting, delicate yet dimensional. Others display crisp violet phantom borders, or banded interiors that shift through multiple tonal layers — each one a singular record of geological time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot the loudest in the room. Rarely the easiest to find.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"2026年6月14日\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TpE8qsh8KHE\" height=\"814\" width=\"458\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43392659193919,"sku":"IT26-FL016","price":8800.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/IT26-FL016-06.jpg?v=1781204749"},{"product_id":"紅皺岩螺化石擺件-日本","title":"Calcite on Rock Snail - Japan","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eLocality: Hiraoka, Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eDimensions: \u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e84*81*67mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis calcite-fossilized rock snail specimen opens naturally at its coiled shell, letting calcite unfold in crystalline clarity and quiet softness — a shape carrying the languid romance of Rococo ornament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe wrinkles across its surface remain sharp and legible. Canine-shaped crystals of honey-amber calcite have settled over it with the gentlest touch, casting its form into permanence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Rock Snail\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe rock snail, scientifically named \u003cem\u003eRapana venosa\u003c\/em\u003e, belongs to the family Muricidae. Its Japanese name, Akanishi, comes from the reddish interior of its shell aperture — a large, predatory sea snail commonly found in the tidal shallows of Japan's inland bays.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eA hundred and twenty thousand years ago, this was not yet land. It was a warm inland sea called the Ancient Tokyo Bay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe rock snail once lived on tidal reefs, growing and clinging and dying with the rhythm of the tides. Its shell was buried in fine sand, settling into the uppermost layer of the Shimosa Group — the Kioroshi Formation. Groundwater carrying dissolved calcite seeped slowly into the seams of the shell, year after year, forging its once-fragile calcium carbonate structure into something nearly as hard as stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis is what makes the Kioroshi Shell Bed unique: its shell fossils, cemented by calcite, grew so hard that since the Kofun period, they were quarried and used as building stone for burial chamber walls. These were never just fossils. They were once the very stone that carried history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43486137679935,"sku":"FS005","price":12000.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/FS005-02.jpg?v=1783086331"},{"product_id":"重晶石共生方解石-英國","title":"Baryte on Calcite - Isle of Sheppey, England","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eLocality: Isle of Sheppey, Swale, Kent, England, UK\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eDimensions: \u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e60*60*48mm, crystal 33*31mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis specimen comes from the famous septarian nodules found along the north coast of the Isle of Sheppey, Kent — large rounded concretions formed within the London Clay. As these nodules were buried and compacted, a network of internal cracks developed, later filled with calcite that gives this piece its honey-yellow base. Radiating outward from the calcite are clusters of pale grey-white, translucent baryte crystals, forming delicate frost-like rosettes reminiscent of chrysanthemums or snowflakes — one of the most distinctive mineral sights this locality is known for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe exact process behind septarian nodule formation is still not fully understood by geologists, and it's this lingering mystery that makes every specimen split from one of these nodules a truly one-of-a-kind natural sculpture. This piece captures the layered beauty of calcite and baryte together, honey and grey-white tones intertwining in a classic mineral pairing from the English coast.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43565268238399,"sku":"IKE24CA001","price":9800.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/IKE24CA001-07.jpg?v=1784222192"},{"product_id":"霰石-西班牙-2","title":"Aragonite - Cuenca, Spain","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eLocality: Retamal ravine, Enguidanos, Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha, Spain\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eDimensions:\u0026nbsp;27*20*23mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis aragonite specimen from Spain displays a captivating bicolor gradient — a soft grass-green tone at the crystal terminations transitioning into a warm violet-purple along the shaft, the two colors blending naturally across the same crystal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAlthough aragonite is orthorhombic in its true crystal system, it commonly forms cyclic twins that produce a pseudo-hexagonal appearance, giving the prismatic crystal the regular, six-sided faceting associated with hexagonal forms — a distinctive and highly sought-after habit for aragonite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe crystal itself is bright and translucent, with a gem-like clarity that catches the light beautifully.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43565269123135,"sku":"ARG005","price":0.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/ARG005-08.jpg?v=1784222697"},{"product_id":"自然硫磺-義大利西西里-1","title":"Italian Native Sulfur - Sicily","description":"\u003cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003e\u003c!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--\u003e\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian Native Sulfur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLocality: Cozzo Disi Mine (Cozzodisi Mine), Casteltermini, Agrigento Province, Sicily, Italy\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 51*58*38mm\/82g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis sulfur specimen from the Cozzo Disi Mine displays excellent crystal completeness and clarity, formed in the rare bipyramidal habit. The lower portion of the crystal shows natural dissolution, while bitumen inclusions scattered within lend the translucent crystal an added sense of depth and mystery. The overall color is a vivid yellow with a faint greenish cast, intergrown with calcite — the interplay of textures between the two minerals creates a rich and distinctive specimen landscape. Under long-wave UV, the calcite reveals a strikingly intense pink fluorescence, adding another layer of enjoyment to this piece.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e【About Italian Sulfur Specimens】\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSicily was once one of the world’s most important sulfur-producing regions, accounting for nearly a quarter of global sulfur output. With the decline of sulfur mining due to advances in industrial extraction methods, these mines were eventually closed. Today, surviving Italian native sulfur specimens—especially those preserved in fine condition—have become increasingly scarce and are now regarded as highly desirable collector-grade mineral specimens, favored by museums and advanced collectors alike.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mineral-taiwanshop.thebrothersstones.com\/en\/blogs\/information-about-italian-minerals\/%E7%BE%A9%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%A9%E8%87%AA%E7%84%B6%E7%A1%AB\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e→ Explore Sicilian Sulfur\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43568940875839,"sku":"ZF24003","price":7500.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/Sicilian_Native_Sulfur_-_ZF24003-01.jpg?v=1784755027"},{"product_id":"自然硫磺-義大利西西里-2","title":"Italian Native Sulfur - Sicily","description":"\u003cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003e\u003c!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--\u003e\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian Native Sulfur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLocality: Cozzo Disi Mine (Cozzodisi Mine), Casteltermini, Agrigento Province, Sicily, Italy\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 81*61*36mm\/132g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis native sulfur specimen features a cluster of crystals with sharp, well-defined edges and crisp crystal faces, showing strong overall crystal formation. The faces carry a metallic-like sheen, with tones ranging from olive to yellow-green set against the pale matrix — together forming a layered, richly textured cluster that captures the classic beauty of natural sulfur crystal groups.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e【About Italian Sulfur Specimens】\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSicily was once one of the world’s most important sulfur-producing regions, accounting for nearly a quarter of global sulfur output. With the decline of sulfur mining due to advances in industrial extraction methods, these mines were eventually closed. Today, surviving Italian native sulfur specimens—especially those preserved in fine condition—have become increasingly scarce and are now regarded as highly desirable collector-grade mineral specimens, favored by museums and advanced collectors alike.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mineral-taiwanshop.thebrothersstones.com\/en\/blogs\/information-about-italian-minerals\/%E7%BE%A9%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%A9%E8%87%AA%E7%84%B6%E7%A1%AB\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e→ Explore Sicilian Sulfur\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43571696435263,"sku":"ZF24002","price":7850.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/Sicilian_Native_Sulfur_-_ZF24002_-_03.jpg?v=1784755028"},{"product_id":"apatite-portugal","title":"Apatite on Quartz -  Panasquiera Mine, Portugal","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApatite on Quartz, Siderite, Pyrite\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eLocality: Panasquiera Mine, Barroca Grande, Covilha, Castelo Branco District, Portugal\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 46*37*34mm\/60g\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis apatite specimen comes from Portugal's Panasqueira Mine — widely regarded as the world's finest locality for the species, renowned among collectors for producing crystals of exceptional form and clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe piece features a cluster of hexagonal prismatic crystals with sharp, well-defined faces in a soft blue-green tone, catching the light with a glassy luster. Fine-grained pyrite sits at the crystal bases, its metallic sheen offering a striking contrast to the translucent apatite and adding rich visual layers to the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003ePanasqueira, a century-old tin-tungsten deposit, owes its celebrated apatite crystals to a truly unique geological setting — making this a classic must-have among European mineral localities.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43576667340863,"sku":"SM24AP01","price":13500.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/Apatite_from_Portugal_-_SM24AP01_-_08.jpg?v=1784833467"},{"product_id":"topaz-nigeria","title":"Topaz","description":"\u003cp\u003eLocality: Jos Plateau, Plateau State, Nigeria\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDimensions: \u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e27*14*19mm\/13.1g\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003eThis topaz specimen has been naturally worn smooth through prolonged tumbling and abrasion in river water, its once-sharp crystal edges softened into a rounded, pebble-like form with a texture reminiscent of polished jade. The overall tone is a soft grey-white, with a translucent interior and small iron-oxide inclusions marking the surface — quiet traces of the long journey this crystal took through water transport and repeated erosion. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003eCompared to specimens with intact crystal faces, this water-worn form carries a rustic, tactile beauty that's especially appealing to collectors who love the raw, natural character of a stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43591008485439,"sku":null,"price":2850.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/TP25002-02.jpg?v=1784222192"},{"product_id":"蜂蜜重晶石-法國","title":"French Honey Barite","description":"\u003cp\u003eLocality: Four-la-Brouque ravine, Saint-Babel, Issoire, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 55*15*18mm\/24g\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen comes from the Auvergne region in central France, earning its trade name \"honey barite\" for its warm, translucent amber tone. The crystal forms a slender, elongated prism, its surface showing the classic pattern of secondary crystal growth — a fine layer of secondary crystallization overlaying the original prismatic form, like growth rings recording repeated stages of geological activity, and lending the otherwise simple prism a rich, textured dimensionality. The overall clarity is excellent, with the honey-amber tone glowing warmly in the light.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43591008747583,"sku":"SM25BA02","price":3150.0,"currency_code":"TWD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/files\/French_honey_barite_-_SM25BA02_-_01.jpg?v=1785019656"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0629\/3779\/2575\/collections\/46EF2133-9AFD-45AE-A077-A0700D44815C.jpg?v=1784987963","url":"https:\/\/mineral-taiwanshop.thebrothersstones.com\/en\/collections\/lornas-picks.oembed","provider":"Taiwan Mineral Shop by The Brothers' Stones","version":"1.0","type":"link"}