Sphalerite (gemmy twins) on Quartz (rare locality)

Item Description

This is a very attractive, showy and notably hard to find Sphalerite specimen from the Dongxiang Cu-polymetallic Deposit in China. This full cabinet sized display specimen hosts a handful of sharp, well-formed, gemmy, deep amber-honey colored twinned crystals of Sphalerite measuring up to 2.0 cm across, associated with metallic golden Pyrite and brassy Chalcopyrite sitting a layer of little grey Quartz crystals on matrix. No major damage that I can see on the Sphalerites, but there is a bit of peripheral roughness in a couple spots where the piece was separated from the pocket wall. They really glow with color when backlit as you can see from the photos. Keep in mind, this is a transparent sulfide species, which is fairly uncommon in nature (imagine something like Pyrite or Galena in transparent crystals) and when you find a specimen with such attractive twinned crystals like this from a rare locality, it's certainly desirable and worthwhile. I'm told that there will not be more of these, so don't miss out if you collect sulfides or Chinese minerals. Valued $1,950 on the original label.
Ex Les Presmyk / De Natura specimen.