Vanadinite (beautiful crystallization)

Item Description

Vanadinite is the namesake species for the element vanadium, and is almost certainly the most well-known vanadium-bearing mineral in the world. It's a well-known species, thanks largely to the world-class specimens that have been coming out of Mibladen, Morocco, for 50 years or so. These amazing specimens are the pinnacle of the species, and if it wasn't for Mibladen, Vanadinite would not be terribly well-represented on in the mineral world in terms of crystallized display pieces. This gorgeous large thumbnail / toenail sized specimen features fine quality, saturated red color, sharp, lustrous, tabular crystals of Vanadinite, free of matrix. The piece shows a mixture of smooth, broad faces and beautiful "hoppered" / skeletal forms. Looking closely I can't find any real damage of note to the crystals, though there is a tiny bit of roughness on the lower portion, where the piece was removed from the pocket wall. A wonderful and showy Vanadinite specimen from this world-famous locale.