Betafite (classic locale - 1950s) Kay Robertson Coll.

Item Description

Intergrown fairly sharp betafite crystals form a cute 360-degree miniature from this famous Ontario locale. Betafite is technically a member of the Pyrochlore Supergroup (of Hogarth 1977) and the betafite name is a discredited species. This mottled-brown isometric crystals are from the well-known Silver Crater Mine at Bancroft. This is an excellent and uncommon example, today. Most specimens of this quality came out in the 1950s, during the active mining period. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 6107 and acquired from the Lidstroms at Tucson in 1970. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record).