Pyrite on Calcite

Item Description

This small find was made last year in China at the famous Chenzong Mine, and is absolutely unique: glittery, golden pyrite microcrystals preferentially set on the edges of translucent, gray calcite rhombs (to over 9 cm across!)as opposed to the disc shaped xls we saw in previous finds. Some of the specimens had very sparse coverage of pyrite, just a salting, but here, it is richly carpeting the crystal edges. The pristine, four intergrown rhombs (to 2.6 cm) are beautifully set atop matrix covered with smaller calcites. Matrix specimens from this find were UNCOMMON. Large specimens of this variety have sold for over $20,000. For the size (and most were BIG so getting a good one in this size is actually a challenge), and aesthetics, we valued this at $1200-1500