Lithiophilite (important gem crystal), Ex. Jack Eaker & James Zigras

Item Description

This specimen is part of the 2020 Dallas Mineral Collecting Symposium benefit auction, with proceeds benefiting Mineralogical Record, Rocks & Minerals, Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, and mindat.org. Thanks to all of our participants!

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, August 24, 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.

While not the most typical or valuable major thumbnail to offer up at auction, this certainly has to be one of the most rare and interesting! This is an AMAZING, elongated, translucent, terminated crystal of the rare lithium-manganese phosphate lithiophilite. It is significant for the locality, the species, and even for the strange crystal shape. it is fully terminated -- a floater, with both terminations. It has some etching on one edge only. For any collector of rare species, or American thumbnail crystals, this should be especially interesting. It is from the collection of Jack Eaker (long-time mine assayist for decades there, who built probably the finest collection of Foote Mine minerals ever), and then passed to James Zigras for his thumbnail collection specializing in superb crystals of rare species for some years.
Donated by James Zigras. Valued $2000