Cobaltian Calcite on Calcite

Item Description

A classic from 1980s finds for the well-known Bou Azzer mining district, this small-cabinet specimen is eye-catching from the get go. The rich, hot-pink color is attractive and uniform across the piece, and it is accentuated by an unusually high luster. The botryoids average about 1 cm across, but can reach up to 1.4 cm. Close inspection reveals that they are dense, intergrown rhombs of Calcite, with hundreds of tiny portions of the rhombohedral faces adding an amazing level of detail and sparkle. Flipping the piece over reveals a complex history that shows there are at least three generation of Calcite that have grown on the matrix. The first generation was comprised of scalenohedrons containing red Hematite phantoms, not unlike many of the classic, complex Calcites we have seen from Mexico and elsewhere. The next generation coats the scalenohedrons, and has bright orange fluorescence. This fine specimen culminates with the final generation of pink, lustrous Cobalt-bearing Calcite that creates the excellent and unusual aesthetic we know as a classic from Bou Azzer. More than that, it is just plain GORGEOUS on a shelf!