Ferberite with Quartz and Pyrite

Item Description

The famous Kara-Oba locality in Kazakhstan (formerly a military-run tungsten mine) has produced some very attractive Ferberite specimens over the years. This small cabinet is a highly aesthetic cluster of bladed, lustrous, and striated Ferberite crystals that have a preferential coating that gives the terminations a very distinct, 'frosted' look. There are Quartz crystals that penetrate the Ferberites on the back half, and cubes of Pyrite add even more to the mineral and visual interest to the unique look of this reverse side. But what I find most attractive is the tiered architecture of the Ferberite cluster, as they remind me of a metallic, striated, silver-grey version of Emerald City from Wizard of Oz! This is old material from the 1980s or early 1990s, not seen often today. In fact, if you saw this on the market today, it might easily be misalbelled as Chinese in Origin. A hefty, showy, interesting specimen from a very remote and old location.