Nickelskutterudite var. Smaltite (Rice Northwest Museum)

Item Description

An impressive, large very old specimen featuring huge crystals, to 3.0 cm, rising from a massive matrix, accented by calcite at the base. This is a superb display-sized specimen, of a style rarely seen for this nickel-rich variety of skutterudite. Crystals of this size and magnitude are very uncommon, from any locality let alone German ones. The crystals are a lustrous, metallic-gray to matte terra cotta-red. This is an important, outstanding and rare large example of the species and large old mining district from the Rice Northwest Museum Collection. Hefty ore at 739 grams or 1.6 pounds mass. Valued at $1200.