Fluorite (GEM quality)

Item Description

The Llamas Quarry is a lesser known Fluorite producing locality in Asturias, on the north edge of Spain along the Bay of Biscay. In 2010 and 2011 some of the finest gem quality Fluorites were discovered at stashed away by one of the locals, who compiled a beautiful suite of specimens with varying habits and colors. According to our source, no more have been found, and nobody else seems to have them for sale now. We were fortunate to obtain the entire lot of crystals at the Tucson Show last month, and we're happy to have some to offer in the auctions. There are several aspects to these specimens that make them so special. First is their impeccable quality from the standpoint of WATER CLEAR clarity along with amazingly sharp, lustrous and well-formed crystals. The main crystal on this specimen measures 1.0 cm and is essentially colorless, making it a classic "ice cube" Fluorite, which means it's about as chemically pure as Fluorite can be when they're colorless. You might think the crystal is a simple cube, but if you look closely along the edges, you will see thin dodecahedral modifying faces, but a couple of the corners actually show a trio of RARELY seen triangular trapezohedral faces! So not only is the quality superb (it actually looks better than the photos might indicate), but it shows rare crystal faces for the species. The matrix is Quartz with a layer of Dolomite(?) in between the Fluorites. Beautiful material, a great pickup for any thumbnail collector, a Fluorie collector or somebody who appreciates fine crystallization. Don't miss out as these have not been seen for several years, and may never come out again.