Fluorapatite (classic material)

Item Description

The famous Panasqueira Mines have produced what are certainly some of the most distinctive and iconic examples of Fluorapatite in the world. These specimens are beloved by collectors for their unique form and easily recognizable colors. The most well-known shade of Fluorapatite from this area is green, and this piece is a wonderful example. This miniature sized piece is a thick, sharp, lustrous, translucent, hexagonal crystal with minor attached Muscovite at the base. When backlit, you can see there are multiple colors internally, and an almost "phantom"-style banding patterns with various shades of green and yellow and virtually black "core". It should be noted that with strong backlighting, the exterior edge of the crystal is virtually colorless, but under UV light, that same edge shows the brightest fluorescence. No major damage, though a few small nicks can be seen in a couple spots. From the collection of Vasco Trancoso, a medical doctor and prominent mineral collector from near Lisbon, Portugal (https://www.mindat.org/user-11954.html). He assembled his mineral collection over the course of 60 years, and built a fine worldwide display collection that we recently purchased. This piece is pictured on mindat.org at https://www.mindat.org/photo-186761.html