Braunite (rare - large crystals)

Item Description

Braunite is a rare manganese silicate species, and the finest examples ever found are those from the N'Chwaning Mines and the Wessels Mine in South Africa. Typically the crystals found at these mines are measured in mm, but this piece has some of the largest crystals we've seen from the locality measuring in the 2 cm range! The piece features a group of notably sharp, highly lustrous, metallic black tapered crystals, free of matrix. It's important to note that the terminations appear to have grown up against the pocket wall, as there is a smooth plane of interrupted growth, so the piece is not pristine, but the overwhelming size of the crystals is significant enough to almost cancel it out. This piece is from an older find (circa 1980s-1990s), and very few of them are available on the market compared to 10+ years Ago. Crystals of this size are virtually unheard of, and if you collect rarities or thumbnails, this is a worthwhile example to add to your collection. Valued $1,500.