Muscovite

Item Description

The area around Hiddenite, North Carolina is obviously famous for its beautiful Hiddenite Spodumene crystals, along with superb Emeralds, but there are many other species found around Hiddenite, including some distinctive and fine quality Muscovites. Typically Muscovite is not often seen as the primary species in display specimens, it's usually an accessory species, or the mineral upon which other species form, but this piece is solely Muscovite in the form of fine quality, well-formed, sharp, thin bladed hexagonal crystals with a deep golden-brown hue. When backlit, the crystals show brighter yellow and almost greenish tones. With strong backlighting, the crystals show a bit of translucency. The piece is crystallized all over, with very little damage and the sculptural form makes for a very pleasing presentation. The largest crystal measures 3.7 cm across.
From the collection of Jack Arbiser, MD,PhD an internationally known dermatologist who specializes in minerals of the Southeast USA and Israel. He obtained his BS and MS in organic chemistry at Emory University. During his masters degree, he introduced Drs Dennis Liotta and Dr Raymond Schinazi, who developed Emtriva, an antiviral cocktail which transformed HIV/AIDS from a death sentence to a chronic disease. He obtained an MD and PhD (genetics) at Harvard Medical School, dermatology residency at Harvard, and Howard Hughes fellowship with Dr Judah Folkman, father of the field of angiogenesis. Dr Arbiser was the first to show how dominant oncogenes stimulate angiogenesis. He returned to Emory, where he became the inaugural Thomas Lawley Professor of Dermatology. He has cofounded Accuitis, a clinical stage company focusing on inflammation and fibrosis, and ABBY with a novel compound for brain tumors.