Fluorite with Calcite

Item Description

Beautiful and sculptural large 360-degree fluorite with calcite knob from the well-known Xianghualing Mine of China, early 2000s era. Densely intergrown, glassy, water-clear gem, pretty light mint-green fluorite cubes cover the front and sides of the piece. The cubes reach 2.8 cm and the stepped-growth faces add much character. You can see straight through the cubes to the rich covering of calcite crystals on the back. The small, sharp, colorless, calcite rhombohedrons are very glassy and lustrous. Complete all-around, the piece is in great shape, overall. You barely notice, that a corner of the largest fluorite cube on the front is dinged. Certainly a modest detraction. Purple LW UV fluorite and variable orange LW and SW UV calcite fluorescence. Ex Raul Sanabria Orellana Collection, a well-known Spanish collector and author. He is the co-author of the 2021 Mineralogical Record article on the Aliva Mining District and co-author of the excellent recent 2024 Mineralogical Record Berbes, Spain article in Vol 55, No 1. The fluorite crystal clarity, crystal sharpness with stepped-growth features and calcite on the back make this a very fine and highly representative example of the combination species. Valued at $1000.