large Ferberite with Siderite and Muscovite

Item Description

This item is part of a special benefit auction for the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org). Items are either deaccessions from the museum's collection or were donated by generous supporters listed below.

Auction open April 1, 2021 through April 17, 2021.

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, April 19, for payment using PayPal or credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost, or please contact brandy@mineralauctions.com if you'd like to plan on picking up items at future shows or during a stop through Dallas.

This is a fantastic, hand-size specimen of tabular, jet-black, striated Ferberite crystals forming a very attractive, fan-like specimen from the tungsten-tin mines of Panasqueira, that would have come out in the heyday of the late 1960s and early 1970s. There are a dozen, thick tabular, striated single crystals and parallel groupings of complete Ferberite crystals on this piece along with several comparably large, but incomplete crystals somewhat hidden in the interior of the piece. The largest Ferberite measures 7.7 cm in length. The big Ferberites are nicely accented, largely on one side, by tan, pseudohexagonal discs of Siderite crystals that range from a few millimeters up to a centimeter across. A single, pale green, 1.3 cm, translucent, perfectly hexagonal Fluorapatite crystal is perched on a Ferberite with a little Siderite, for added color and contrast. Panasqueira produced some of the most impressive and attractive Ferberite specimens extant. Although there are some small damaged crystals in the core/middle, all important crystals that splay outwards are intact and this displays magnificently and dominantly on a shelf. It can show as either horizontal or vertical, to equal effect! It is a significant specimen from a historic era of a historic mine. Valued $7500-10,000