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QRI837949

Fluorite With Sphalerite

Former collection B. Flurin (CH)
Classic Locality

Description Tabs

Description

Locality:

Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee, United States of America

Class:

Crystals on Matrix

Size Range:

Cabinet (10-18 cm)

Size:

14.5 × 7.3 × 5.5 cm

Largest Crystal:

1.20cm

Weight:

331.00gr

Description

Sculptural cabinet featuring the classic Elmwood paragenesis. Purple fluorite cubes with the classic etched/stepped habitus stand perched on the carbonate matrix whilst associated to some minor calcite scalenohedros and rounded black sphalerite crystals. Some peripheral contacts, as depicted.

The specimen comes with historical significance. In fact, it does come from the renowned Swiss collection of B. Flurin, which was mostly put together during the 50s-70s. This is one of his very few non-Swiss specimens. I left it unclean and unprepped in order to preserve its historical and geological signature, although there is room for improvement and trimming.

The handwritten label from Flurin indicates a price of 110 Swiss Francs. Back in the days, it was pretty hard to get non-Swiss minerals into Switzerland. Adjusted for inflation, Flurin's price would be approx 500$ today!

Pasted Label

Mineral Data

What's on the rock

Fluorite

Formula:

CaF₂

Strunz:

3.AB.25

Crystal System:

Isometric

Hardness:

4.0

Streak:

White

Type Locality:

Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Jáchymov District (St Joachimsthal), Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic