Fluorite with Calcite (unique color)

Item Description

This cabinet sized display specimen features a rich coverage of rather gemmy, sharp, lustrous, soft silvery-pinkish colored cubic crystals of Fluorite which have formed over thin bladed matrix, and play host to compressed "disc"-like compressed rhombohedral crystals of white/colorless Calcite measuring up to 1.4 cm. I love the sculptural and three-dimensional quality of the piece, along with the beautiful color of the Fluorites, which is best seen with backlighting. This is one of those pieces that is best seen in person, and the video just doesn't quite do enough to show of its quality and visceral beauty. These pieces were mined circa 2002-2003, and were never seen again. Don't miss out on this attractive and certainly unique association specimen from what is actually the largest polymetallic tungsten deposit in China. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20998CL. Chet's catalogue mentions that this piece was "A former Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, specimen (no label) sold at the Munich show by the Curator." 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.