Bastnaesite-Ce on Calcite (superb TN!)

Item Description

A gorgeous, perfectly placed 1.25-cm crystal is perched on a stalk of calcite matrix here, making for an exquisite thumbnail specimen that puts the transparent crystal up on a natural pedestal. This is complete all around except only one small sidecar crystal on the back of the piece, which is broken. The front is perfect for display. A note about coloration: In fluorescent lights, these crystals look more amber-brown than in halogen lights, where they take on a more orange-red hue. These were found at the classic old French locality for rare earth species, in the late 1970s, and have until now been hidden away by the collector. For sheer quality and beauty, many collectors have long considered the gemmy rare earth crystals from here to be among the best of their species. The productive specimen zone at the locality is, I am told reliably, simply mined out and gone now. This is one of the most aesthetic examples I can imagine from here, and a world class, competitive-level thumbnail in any case, regardless of origin. These are quite rare. I bought this over a decade ago from a retired mine geologist here. Valued $1000-1200ish