Fluorapatite

Item Description

This is a classical finely crystallized example of Fluorapatite from its most important locality in Europe: Panasqueira in Portugal. These green crystals have textbook hexagonal shape, and their glassy luster really enhances the gemmy portions of the interiors. The terminations are highly textured, almost looking like sharp, mountainous topography upon close inspection, and it provides a good, visual contrast with the smooth, glassy prism faces. With the largest crystal being a hefty 3.4 cm across, this co-joined pair has an aesthetic look that presents well. As is typical, the Fluorapatites fluoresce a ghostly yellow that in person is more dramatic than the photos can capture. An early number in the collection (in the 18000s!), this is therefore one of the older specimens that date back to the 1960s or 1970s heyday at Panasqueira; and these have long been considered a European classic. This one came out, went into Pohl, and only now surfaces again some 50 years later.