Sphalerite (GEMMY crystals) on Quartz

Item Description

The Sphalerites from the Shuikoushan Mine are some of the most attractive examples of the species ever found. The combination of the highly lustrous, gemmy crystals with their intense glowing warm hues instantly made them popular when they started making their way to the market about 15 years ago. Today they have all but disappeared from the market it seems. This piece is a beautiful small cabinet display specimen featuring superb, sharp, lustrous, very gemmy complex Sphalerite crystals and crystal groups measuring up to 6 mm assoicated with gorgeous free-standing "ribs" of white sugary Quartz sitting on drusy grey Quartz matrix The Sphalerites are gorgeous in person and explode with color when backlit, the to point where you might mistake them for Garnets. Overall, the piece is in remarkably good condition as most of the Sphalerite groups are undamaged, but there are a few cleaves here and there. This is a fine specimen of this high quality material that didn't get enough attention when they were available, but are now sought after by collectors for their excellent color, quality and gemminess of the Sphalerites. Priced at $850 in the inventory. From a prominent Midwest collection that we acquired over the summer.