Calcite with Boulangerite inclusions (''floater'' specimen)

Item Description

Calcite is one of those minerals that is not only found in many different styles / habits / forms, but it's also "inclusion-friendly", meaning that it has host other species or chromophores to create some beautiful specimens. Some of the most distinctive examples of this material are the old classics from the Herja Mine in the Carpathian Mountains. This attractive large thumbnail / toenail sized piece comprises lustrous, layered "rosettes" (intergrown flattened rhombohedra) of Calcite with sharp faces which are included by silvery-grey Boulangerite. The piece is fully crystallized on all sides, a complete "floater"! You can see a few tiny acicular crystal of Boulangerite in the close up photos. I never tire of seeing these pieces, as they are some of my favorite Calcites from any locality. The unique habit of the Calcites is already intriguing, but the Boulangerite inclusions is just the cherry on top. Boulangerite is a fairly rare sulfosalt, so to see so much of it included inside the Calcite crystals is actually quite impressive, as you rarely encounter the species in large quantities from most locales around the world. It's incredibly rare to find such showy "floater" thumbnails of this material, you're not likely to find another one to compare on the market right now.
This specimen comes from the lifelong worldwide thumbnail collection of Dr. Alexander ("Alex") Schauss (#964). I would recommend reading the interview at https://www.irocks.com/collector-interview-alex-schauss to get a better understanding of who he is as a mineral collector and a person.