Cylindrite (rare)

Item Description

This is a lovely example of the what is one of the most unique mineral species out there in terms of morphology. When it comes to crystal shapes, we often expect to see smooth planes, joined at precise angles, but Cylindrite is certainly in a class of its own. This rare lead, iron, tin, antimony sulfosalt forms in "cylinder" or "tube" shaped crystals, hence the name, and it's one of the VERY few minerals that has truly curved crystals, which form as a result of layered sheets of the crystal cells, which rotate slightly when stacked upon one another, causing the naturally curved shape. This is a good specimen of this classic material loaded with attractive silvery-grey colored crystals that measure up to 6 mm long on matrix. The first specimens of Cylindrite were found at Poopo, and are still the standard for the species. A great opportunity for any collector to own a species rarely seen for sale in today's market. I have not seen any new specimens of Cylindrite on the market in several years, and this particular piece dates back to the 1970s.