Magnetite (good quality)

Cerro Huanaquino, Potosi Department, Bolivia
Small Cabinet, 9.2 x 5.3 x 3.3 cm
Start Time: 01/27/2011 6:45:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 02/03/2011 6:45:00 pm (CST)
Auction Closed

Item Description

Typically the Magnetite specimens from this locality are closely grown together, but this piece good of isolation between the crystals. These are also some of the better quality crystals I've seen from this locality. The piece has excellent, very sharp, rather lustrous, black, "Alpine-type" octahedra associated with small cream colored Feldspar crystals on matrix. The largest Magnetite crystal measures 9 mm across, which is decent size for the locality. This is one of the better quality specimens of this material that I've seen from this locality, and despite a bit of damage to one of the main crystals, it is an attractive overall piece. Keep in mind, that there are no other localities producing Magnetites of this quality today, and there are few localities in the world that have ever produced Magnetite like this. Though this species is well known to collectors, it is remarkably difficult to obtain such well crystallized, displayable miniature sized specimens such as this one.

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