Cassiterite (gemmy cyclic twins) with rare TOURMALINE association

Item Description

From a discovery in July of 2008. Cassiterite is one of the signature species from Bolivia, and this country has probably produced more tin than any other nation in the world. Recorded mining goes back to the Spanish in the 15th century, and certainly for many centuries by native peoples prior to that. One of the best known mines in Bolivia is Viloco (sometimes called Araca) which has given collectors some of the most impressive and highest quality Cassiterite specimens ever found. Here we a nice small cabinet specimen with a full coverage of fine quality, sharp, highly lustrous, gemmy, golden brown to black cyclic twinned crystals of Cassiterite with individual twins measuring up to 1.4 cm across on matrix. If you flip the piece over, you can clearly see a many small, than acicular greenish-black crystals of Tourmaline! The association of the two minerals is not only rare from Viloco but anywhere in the mineral world ! Yes, there are some broken crystals, but most of the damage is around the periphery, and the superior luster and GEMMINESS of the crystals makes up for it in my mind. It's hard to find small cabinet specimens with gemmy twins PLUS the Tourmaline association, so don't miss out on this one as very little seems to be coming out now. Priced at $600 in the inventory.