Hydroxylapatite var: Carbonate-rich Hydroxylapatite (rare - good sized crystal)

Item Description

This piece was mined circa 2002 and is one of the largest examples of the material that we've ever seen. While the area around Cerro Huanaquino is best known for its excellent Magnetite specimens, the next best-known mineral from the locality are the attractive and very well crystallized Carbonate-rich Hydroxylapatite crystals. Carbonate-rich Hydroxylapatite is actually a variety of Hydroxylapatite, and is well known from a fair number of world localities, but not often are the crystals as large, attractive and well-formed as the Bolivian specimens. This piece is a great miniature sized specimen of Carbonate-rich Hydroxylapatite with well-defined hexagonal form, a soft peach-tan color, medium luster, and is somewhat translucent when backlit. The front/display side of the piece is in great shape, but there is a separation mark on the back. Most of the crystals from this locality are about 1 cm in length, so to find one that nearly 5 cm is a big deal. A stellar example of these notably hard to find specimens from this unique Bolivian locale. The piece shows good orange fluorescence under SW UV light. Valued $1,500 for the impressive size and quality of the species.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#10566-c). 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. The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.