Fluorapatite (strong blue color on one end)

Item Description

Certainly some of the most well-known and distinctive examples of Fluorapatite are those from Panasqueira. The habit and colors seen in these crystals truly does not look like any other Apatites out there. This is an older specimen from the 1960s-1970s era at Panasqueira featuring a thick , tabular, sharp, lustrous, translucent hexagonal crystal group of Fluorapatite, free of matrix. The piece shows the characteristic soft greenish-hue, but what makes this one special is that there is a notably strong BLUE color than can be seen on one side, which is rare in my experience with this material. The piece is not pristine, there are some separation marks on the broad "c" face where other Fluorapatites once grew, and the piece is contacted on the back where it was removed from the pocket wall, but the stark blue color is RARE for Panasqueira, so I still think it has value and desirability from that aspect.
From the collection of Michel Jactat.