Fluorite (rare elongated habit) (ex Ross Lille Collection)

Item Description

Southern Illinois Fluorites are beloved for the wide range of colors in which they are found. They often feature multiple colors within the same specimen (specifically the same crystals) showing beautiful "phantom" color zoning patterns. This small cabinet piece is an unusual yet elegant specimen as it features a very rarely seen elongated cube measuring 6.0 cm flaring off from additionally crystallized cubic Fluorite crystals at the base. No matrix to be seen, but there is a dusting of white Calcite crystals on the reverse side. The "core" of the crystals features a lovely golden-yellow hue, but it's the alluring glowing bue color on the exterior that really draws the eye. As is often the case with this material, the blue hues in these crystals looks best in sunlight, but it honestly looks really good in indoor lighting. The main crystal is GEM QUALITY and has sharp, lustrous, well-formed faces on all sides. You can seen a few thin "bands" of micro metallic brassy colored Chalcopyrite frozen inside the crystals right along the line of where the yellow color meets the blue. No real damage, save the cleaves on the base where the piece was separated from the pocket wall. The white spots on the top of the main Fluorite are not damage, but appear to be a bit of embedded pocket clay. A really special and certainly "different" kind of Fluorite from this now closed mine. From the collection of Ross Lillie (specimen # RCL 0470) whose label accompanying the specimen states that it was found in a pillar robbing in 1995 from the north end of the orebody. Ross purchased the specimen from Wink Oxford in February of 1998 out of an old collection. The lable also states that the elongated crystal on the piece is rare. Valued at $2,500 in the inventory.