gemmy Cassiterite (unusual shape) & Quartz

Item Description

Fantastic gemmy transparency on this RARE style tabular cassiterite crystal from this less well-known Chinese tin mine. Nearly all specimens from here are cyclic-twins. The striking 3.2 cm doubly terminated crystal is aesthetically set on the uncommon crystallized quartz and granular quartz matrix. This impressive water-clear brown to yellow to near colorless beauty has brilliant lustre. These are considered to be among the world's best examples of the species. They are gemmier, of a different style and far scarcer than cassiterites from famous Mt Xuebaoding and are generally superior to those from Viloco in Bolivia. They came out in small lots in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with none since. The crystal does have a repair in the middle, but this remains an exceptional, RARE style of tabular cassiterite from the Amo Sn deposit.