Green Fluorite with Calcite on Quartz

Description

Pale green Fluorite clusters sit among translucent cream Calcite crystals on a densely sparkling Quartz matrix. The contrast of soft colour, defined crystal faces and dark recesses gives this substantial specimen detail across the whole display face.

From the Yaogangxian Mine in Hunan Province, China, this 1,619 g cabinet specimen combines soft green Fluorite with prominent pale Calcite crystals. Fine Quartz crystals cover the matrix and catch the light around the larger formations. Its broad 160 × 140 mm face makes it an engaging display piece on the included stand.

Please inspect them for natural contacts, crystal edges and condition.

The finer crystalline growth described here adds another scale of detail to the specimen. Many small faces contribute to the sparkling surface, while the larger outline establishes its overall form. That combination is worth appreciating beyond the main colour: surface texture, spacing and the distribution of growth all help distinguish this individual piece.

The accompanying Calcite contributes a different crystal habit and surface character to the specimen. Its lighter or more translucent areas provide a contrast with the other recorded growth, allowing their separate outlines to be followed. The association is worth appreciating as a whole, with the arrangement and contact between the minerals adding detail beyond the featured crystals alone.

The accompanying Quartz brings a silicate crystal habit into the association. Its surfaces and crystal outlines contrast with the featured mineral, giving the specimen more than one kind of growth to examine. The way the minerals occupy the same piece is part of its character: the setting retains their natural relationship and adds depth to the overall display.

Fluorite is calcium fluoride and crystallises in the cubic system. Cubes and octahedra are among its familiar forms, but intergrowths, modified faces and changes during growth can produce much more complex outlines. This combination of recognisable geometry and considerable variation makes Fluorite a rewarding mineral to collect by both crystal habit and locality.

Fluorite can be colourless or show a wide range of colours, sometimes within one specimen. Transparency, crystal thickness and illumination influence how those colours appear. Its glassy faces contrast with more textured areas and any accompanying matrix. Colour zoning and fluorescence are separate properties; a particular response under ultraviolet light should only be expected where it has been recorded for the individual piece.

The recorded origin is Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang County, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan, China. Within a collection of Fluorite specimens, this locality gives the piece a geographical identity alongside its particular crystal habit and natural setting.

The specimen measures 160 × 140 × 70 mm, with a recorded weight of 1,619 g. The proportions give a useful guide to its place in a display, with the individual crystal arrangement and mineral association remaining the principal points of interest.

Care: Support the specimen by its matrix or stand, protect its crystals from knocks, and avoid acids or chemical cleaners because Calcite is present.