Zircon (var: Cyrtolite) (ex Dan Behnke Collection)

Item Description

Here we have an interesting specimen of Zircon from the MacDonald Mine in Ontario, Canada. This specific material is called "Cyrtolite", which is a varietal name for typically curved metamict crystals that contain rare-earth elements or even uranium. This piece features semi-radial "burst"-like crystals groups of dark pinkish-brown Cyrtolite with slight curved faces and no matrix. I love the way the crystals formed, they almost look like some kind of organic plant life. A very attractive and odd Zircon specimen that would make a great addition to any Zircon suite or a collection of rare-earth-bearing minerals. From the collection of Daniel ("Dan") W. Behnke (July 31, 1932 - January 20, 2020) of Glenview, Illinois. Dan was an Associate Photographer of both the Mineralogical Record and Rock and Minerals magazines. He served as the Micromount chairman of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies from 1981 to 1988. He was elected to the National Board of Directors of the Friends of Mineralogy in 1989, and the Micromounters Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a beloved member of the mineral collecting community, most notably for his supreme skill at photomicrography. If you've ever seen any of Dan's micro photos on mindat.org, it's easy to see why he was one of the best in this field. You can read his obituary at https://www.nhscotthanekamp.com/obituaries/Daniel-W-Behnke?obId=10633628