Halite (gemmy blue crystal) (ex Bill and Anne Cook Collection)

Item Description

Halite is found in many world localities, but crystals are often opaque. This crystallized form of table salt is not often seen in gem quality crystals, but in recent years, the Carlsbad Potash Mining District in southeastern New Mexico has produced some of the finest TRANSPARENT Halite crystals in history. The quality and gorgeous color of these crystals is certain in the top ranks for the species. This piece is a wonderful miniature sized example featuring a sharp, well-formed, gem quality, medium purplish-blue colored cube measuring 2.0 cm, associated with a smaller nearly colorless Halite cube on minor matrix. From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio. This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.