Carborundum (synthetic Silicon Carbide)

Item Description

Here we have an attractive specimen of Carborundum, synthetic Silicon Carbide. It is found in nature in extremely rare instances as the mineral Moissanite, but you will see synthetic Moissanite sold in jewelry. According to the label, this piece was grown in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and features excellent, very sharp, bladed hexagonal crystals with a dark metallic black hue and a slight rainbow iridescence on the surface measuring up to 5.9 cm across. The crystals have a highly reflective luster, and a bit of "hoppered" of skeletal growth in areas. From the synthetic mineral suite of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#7725). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.