Fluorite (deep purple color) on Green Fluorite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Please note that this specimen is labeled as coming from Catron County, New Mexico, and we are confident that this locality is incorrect.  We have received information from two different sources that the piece could be from the Surprise Mine, Cookes Peak Mining District, Luna County, New Mexico or the Pine Canyon Deposit in the Burro Mountains, Grant County, New Mexico.  With that in mind, we are simply labeling the specimen as coming from New Mexico, as we are unfortunately not experts on the material, and would prefer to err on the side of caution.   This specimen hosts attractive octahedrons of dark purple Fluorite measuring up to 2.6 cm on edge. The surface of the crystals have an almost "blistered" appearance when you look closely. They are sitting on a layer of gemmy green Fluorite and very minor matrix on the underside of the piece. Some of the Fluorite crystals show intense reddish-purple hues with backlit, but you need a strong light to get any color to come through. A really cool piece for any fan of US Fluorites, or obscure locality Fluorites. Valued at $950. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20991CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.