Ilvaite with Quartz and Apophyllite (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

From the contemporary classic locality at the Huanggang Mine, these Ilvaites are some of the finest examples of the species ever found. Their size quality puts them in the conversation for the best ever found. This piece is a lovely display specimen featuring a predominant, jet-black, orthorhombic prism with a classic chisel-shaped termination that is associated with a couple prismatic Quartz crystals sitting on a thin bit of greenish-brown Hedenbergite. Additionally, and most interestingly, there are dozens of small, gemmy, compressed tetragonal crystals of "Apophyllite" (most likely Fluorapophyllite-(K)) coating the termination of the Ilvaite, which is rather rare in my experience with this material. No damage of note that I can see, and the piece looks beautiful from a few angles. Ex Dr. Steven Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.