Fluorite with phantoms & Chalcopyrite

Item Description

Illinois produced such a quantity of fluorite in the life of the mines there, that today you would think there should be more on the market. However, between those destroyed and those locked up in collections, there is little enough of a high level that comes to market. People forget sometimes that the last of the mines closed about 20 years ago but production of specimens was dropping even by that time. This is a large cabinet specimen with crystals to 7 cm of one of the more rare styles in the Illinois fluorite color palette, with gem yellow crystals surrounded by dramatic purple phantom zones. Growing up in the Midwest, I can tell you that this particular style was always more treasured by most locals, than the more common hues of purple and even blue. The dramatic look of the purple rims around yellow interiors is unique in the mineral world, whereas you can get purple fluorite from many other locations. What really takes this piece to another level, however, are the minute inclusions of 1-2 millimeter sharp chalcopyrite crystals floating within! It makes such a beautiful accent to the sharp lines of the fluorite cubes, a little metallic chaos scattered among the regular lines. At the time such pieces came out, few were sent to the lab for cleaning, nowadays including the minor restoration of small dings and bruises. This is however, mine-sourced, and completely natural - and therefore given the size and age it is not quite pristine, but it is nearly so on the display face, and would benefit much from a proper laboratory cleaning in any case. If the small dings bother you, they could be filled with minor epoxy restoration and it would be invisible, in terms of display, on the shelf. For me, and for the previous owner, it is quite good enough (even with a few dings) and is still a major Illinois specimen, we long ago decided to keep the way it is. Larger than it looks, perhaps, at 2.1 kilos. The largest crystals is 6 cm on edge. Valued $10-12,500 as is...but after a good run through a modern cleaning laboratory this should look like things we have seen selling recently at greater numbers, every year. They do not make more, and the population coming to market keeps going down.