Buergerite (rare tourmaline!) Fioravanti Coll.

Item Description

Buergerite is a rare member of the tourmaline group recognized superficially by its brown color with golden internal flecks, found nowhere else in good crystals. The locality produced one single batch in the late 1960s, which came to Tucson. The person who found it died before revealing the location; and no more were found until Dr. Romero hired two exploration geologists to go looking for it again. Few were found. This very showy piece is richly and attractively covered with sharp crystals, most doubly terminated, to 1.0 cm on rhyolite matrix. That's a piece of white styrofoam (since removed) in the photos. Excellent and rich material from this unique one-time find. Ex Giancarlo Fioravanti Collection and purchased in 1966 from American mineral dealer David New.