Hubeite with Inesite (RICH specimen!) (ex Bill and Anne Collection)

Item Description

This is a fantastic, rich example of Hubeite from the famous Fengjiashan Mine (Daye Copper Mine) in Hubei, China. The species is a very rare calcium manganese iron silicate, and is only found in two places in the world. Hubeite was named in 2001 after the Hubei Province in China (where the type locality is located). This piece features a rich coverage of dark golden-brown colored Hubeite crystals, which are associated with gorgeous rich pinkish-red colored "feather"-shaped groups and acicular "sprays" of Inesite from this famous classic locality in China with associated Quartz sitting on blocky rhombic Calcite matrix. If you look closely, you'll see the front/display side of the piece has a gentle sparkling drusy luster, which is actually caused by a micro coating of hundreds if not thousands of tiny Apophyllite crystals which were deposited over the Hubeites and Inesites. The cherry on top of this piece is that there is a small "Japan"-law twinned Quartz on the back specimen, which just ties the whole piece together. If you collect rarities or minerals from the type locality, don't miss out on this one, as I can almost promise you'll never find another piece of this sized that is just JAM PACKED with Hubeite crystals like this one. I value it around $3,000 in today's market for the size and quality. 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.