Fluorapophyllite-(K) (uncommon Brazilian locale)

Item Description

No, this is not your typical Apophyllite from India, but a much harder to find example from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The color and size / quality of the crystals is certainly comparable to the Indian counterparts as they are big blocky pseudo-cubic examples with a light green to nearly colorless hue measuring up to 5.2 cm on edge, with a small amount of associated Heulandite and attached matrix. The crystals are arranged in a sculptural formation with only minimal roughness on the front / display side. A showy example of this seldom-seen material.
From the collection of the recently deceased Alvaro Lucio, arguably the most well-known and accomplished mineral dealer and collector in Brazil. Alvaro graduated with a degree in civil engineering, mining and metallurgy from the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto in 1949. He began his PhD in the United States and completed it at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He worked as a professor of extractive metallurgy at UFMG, and also as a technical consultant for several companies in the sector. He was the author of several works, published in books and magazines around the world. He received several honors for his contribution to the development of metallurgy and the introduction of metallurgical physical chemistry in Brazil. His knowledge, solicitousness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed in the mineral world.