Honorio Cocera-La Parra
Geology Museum, University of Valencia
Benetusser, Valencia, Spain

This image shows a "radial aggregate" of tiny cacoxenite crystals on a quartz matrix. Cacoxenite is a rare iron phosphate; this specimen comes from the Paloma mine, located in the town of Zarza La Mayor, Caceres Province, Spain. Cocera-La Parra took this image as part of a series of photos that were meant to show the types of minerals found in the Paloma Mine.

Cocera-La Parra says that series can be found on a blog that "is a part of the MTI Project--Mineralogía Topográfica Ibérica (Iberian Topographic Mineralogy). This project aims to create awareness among professionals and the general public of the rich mineralogical diversity that exists in my country, Spain. It seeks to become the most complete online resource on our mining history and our mineralogical heritage."