Aragonite (rare green color)

Item Description

This piece was originally labeled as coming from the "Dashunling Mine" (Dashunlong Sn-polymetallic deposit, Hunan, China), but the entry on mindat.org doesn't specifically mention Aragonite has been reported from this locality. It's possibly from the Shuikoushan Mine in Hunan (see https://www.mindat.org/photo-331349.html for reference), but it's difficult to say for certain. It was mined in the early 2000s, and there wasn't nearly as much reliable locality information for Chinese discoveries. With that said, it's a very impressive and visually striking specimen featuring superb, semi-lustrous, translucent, water-green color, slender prismatic crystals forming a beautiful "spray", aesthetically sitting on matrix. The largest crystal measures about 4.3 cm long. The green color is RARE for China, I can only recall seeing a few over the years with this hue, and none as big and showy as this one. It's a very attractive display piece, with minimal damage and great visceral appeal. If I had this one on the shelf at a show, I would have in the price range of about $2,500 retail. From the collection of Brian Kosnar.