Fluorite with Calcite (RARE Chinese locale) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

With all the localities for Fluorite in China, there are plenty of well-known orebodies that didn't produce much Fluorite. This piece is from the well-known Shizhuyuan Mine, best known for its gemmy dark red Sphalerites and pink manganese-bearing Calcites, but Fluorites were few and far between. This wonderful cabinet sized piece is filled with razor-sharp, rather lustrous, translucent, silvery-lilac colored cubes of Fluorite measuring up to 1.2 cm on edge, associated with attractive compressed rhombic crystals of white Calcite on a thin layer of matrix. What's interesting is that when the thicker portion of the specimen is backlit from underneath, a soft yellow-green hue suddenly appears! This might be from a micro inclusion of another species below the Fluorite, or possibly something in the matrix itself, but the effect is dazzling. I can't find any major damage on the front/display side of the piece. If you collect Fluorites, Chinese minerals or specifically Chinese Fluorites, this is an impressive and showy, three-dimensional piece that would make a great addition to your collection. Valued at $2,000-$2,500. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20997CL. 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.