Ilvaite with Quartz (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a beautiful associated specimen that features a showy group of superb, highly lustrous, razor-sharp, jet-black colored Ilvaite crystals with a few prismatic stepped Quartz crystals that have a greenish color to due minor inclusions of Hedenbergite. All of the Ilvaite crystals are in superb shape, which the exception of one where the termination is contacted. All of the other Ilvaite crystals are beautifully tapering with those classic "chisel"-shaped terminations. This association of the Ilvaite with the unusually colored Quartz produces a highly desirable (and rarely seen) color contrast, and this material is already a contemporary classic and a staple from this prolific mine. Valued at $900. Ex Dr. Stephen 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/biographies_labels/smalestephen/ ) or on Wikipedia.