Sphalerite (Spinel Twins) with Quartz (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

Sphalerite specimens fairly well known from the Rucheng Mine, but this piece dates back to a find in the late 1990s and has a notably different style and color. Several sharp, lustrous, well-formed Spinel-twins of Sphalerite measuring up to about 2.1 cm are intergrown to form an attractive crystal group which is highlighted by dozens of wonderfully contrasting white Quartz prisms. The Sphalerites may appear black and opaque, but with good backlighting, you can actually hints of green and golden hues on the edges. Good condition all around, with no major damage on the display side of the specimen. An interesting older specimen from this well-known locale. Valued at $600. Ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.