Calcite (''butterfly'' twin)

Item Description

This piece was labeled as coming from "Apaligu" = Apo Ali Gun, but Calcite is not reported from this pegmatite. My best guess is that it's possibly from one of the nearby cleft deposits, but it's hard to say for certain. With that said, it's one of the few Calcites from Pakistan that we've had to offer that features a beautiful "butterfly" twin, and it's a thumbnail! You almost never seen any Calcite thumbnails from Pakistan, let alone such beautiful twins like this with excellent silky internal gemminess and virtually colorless optic purity. The twin measures 2.2 cm across, and is smartly perched atop a bit of matrix. No major damage, only very minor imperfections, and very attractive up close.
From prestigious collection of Alex Schauss (#904), a lifelong thumbnail mineral collector, whose collection we recently purchased ( https://www.irocks.com/collector-interview-alex-schauss )