Apatite with Ferberite and Arsenopyrite on matrix (ex Rich Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

Mined: 1971. This piece features several great sharp, prismatic, gemmy crystals of soft blue Apatite with very sharp, lustrous, well-formed Ferberite and beautifully formed, bright silvery colored metallic Arsenopyrite, golden Siderite and minor Quartz. This is a less common color for Apatite from Panasqueira. More often they are green, and these blue crystals are very attractive. Panasqueira unmistakably fits into the category of classic, and specimens from this area are extremely distinctive. I love the fact that you have phosphates with oxides. sulfides and carbonates together on the same piece like this, and they all seem to "fit" together. The largest Apatite crystal measures 8 mm, the largest Ferberite crystal measures 2.7 cm, and the largest Arsenopyrite crystal measures 2.0 cm. From the collection of Richard A. Kosnar, and valued at $1850.