Stokesite on tourmaline

Urucum Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cabinet, 12.0 x 5.7 x 4.3 cm
Start Time: 11/12/2009 6:30:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 11/24/2009 7:00:00 pm (CST)
Auction Closed

Item Description

This is a VERY RICH specimen of the extremely rare tin species, stokesite. Although it occurs in other lcoales, in real crystals of interest to the collector, I THINK this is the only locality that has produced any quantity. Most of those crystals are in radial aggregates that looked as if they were glued together with natural cement, and are not exactly the prettiest of material. However, rarely, specimens like this with more individual, sharply terminated crystals can occur. This specimen must have 100 crystals, to 2mm or so, scattered about in rich veins on the surface of a large shard of schorl tourmaline. I am not normally blown away by little crystals on ugly rocks, but THIS specimen is pretty interesting for what it represents, and an intrinsic significance for its size and richness. Valued highly!

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