Helvine (old - early 2000s)

Item Description

Tongbei is famous for world-classic spessartine and smoky quartz specimens, but has also produced outstanding helvine specimens, such as this excellent old piece from early 2000s finds. Helvine is an uncommon Be-Mn silicate. Striking bi-colored, sharp octahedrons, to 1.2 cm, are aesthetically scattered on the unusual combination matrix plate. The helvines have matte golden bodies grading up to lustrous, translucent golden-brown terminations. Fascinating color variations. The crystals rest on typical feldspar covered with a strange looking dense boxwork of an unknown mineral or clay. A very choice example from the locale.