Tourmaline on Albite, Quartz and Lepidolite

Item Description

An exciting combo piece from the "secret" 1984 pocket found at this classic old San Diego mine! This material was released only recently in the last 2 years from a long-held trove. This is a rare, large matrix specimen. A schorl crystal in the base of the specimen, buried amidst bladed, lustrous, white albite rosettes, forms most of the matrix for this exciting combo specimen. Sheaves of dark purple-pink, lustrous crystals of lepidolite to 5 cm in length, grow along the front side of the specimen along with several lustrous and gemmy, colorless quartz crystals to 6.5 cm in length. Perched majestically high atop the matrix is a single, polychrome, lustrous and translucent, elbaite crystal, measuring 3 cm in height. The top half of the elbaite is an aqua blue grading to purple, with the lower half being a pastel pink. There is one clean repair, at the junction of the tourmaline to the base of it buried in matrix. In addition, on the left side of the albite are several black crystals, to 3 mm in length, of what may be columbite. Superb in every way, this is a unique piece from a small find, long held secret in a San Diego collection. valued at $4500