Spinel on marble

Item Description

A classic example of these now uncommon Spinels that were mined in the late 1990s/early 2000s in the Luc Yen Distrist of Vietnam . This small cabinet specimen is a showy and fine quality example of these well-known Spinel, and it's certainly one of the better pieces specimens I have offered from this locality in the auctions. The piece is highlighted by sharp, lustrous, well-formed octahedral crystals of Spinel of a deep purple color measuring up to 1.4 cm, aesthetically perched atop white marble matrix. With backlighting, there is a bit of gemminess that can be seen inside certain portions of the Spinels. I can see some golden colored crystals of what is likely either Phlogopite or Chondrodite. Minor roughness in a few spots, but the piece is largely in good shape. Sharp, lustrous, well-formed crystals of Spinel of this size on matrix are not common in the mineral world. Valued at $1,500.