Fluorite (penetration twin) with Calcite

Item Description

This specimen was mined in 1999, and no specific mine was given when it was sold. Originally the piece was purchased by Brian Kosnar from the Rocksmiths, but the only information available when it was sold was that the piece was found in Hunan, China. We haven't seen another quite like it, so it's hard to say specifically where it was found. It could have possibly come from Yaogangxian, but the style of the Calcite doesn't really match anything we've seen from that mine. It's certainly a different style than what you typically see from Hunan, as it features a textbook cubic penetration twinned group of gemmy, light green Fluorite measuring 2.4 cm on edge, surrounded by cocoa-brown colored hexagonal crystals of Calcite sitting on matrix. The twin habit reminds me of the old classic English Fluorites from Weardale. The piece is in great shape overall, though there is a bit of roughness in a few spots, so it's not pristine. It's a showy and robust full-sized cabinet specimen that would look great in a display case. Valued at $1,500-$1,800.