Sand replacing Calcite (''floater'' specimen)

Item Description

A very attractive and fairly hard to find specimen of the famous and elusive "Sand" Calcites from Rattlesnake Butte in South Dakota. You might see this locality referred to as "Devil's Hill" or "Snake Hill", but the specimens are unmistakable. A pair group of sharp, well-formed, scalenohedral crystals of Calcite - with the largest measuring 7.3 cm - with a distinctive beige tinge created by particles of sand included inside the Calcites. The piece is a complete "floater", crystallized all over, with no damage or point of attachmen.t According to mindat.org the site is a National Natural Landmark (NNL) and is closed to collecting, but a fair amount of specimens came out over 50 years ago.