Fluorite

Unknown Owner

Le Burg mine at Albi, Tarn, Midi-Pyrénées, France is one of the most important Fluorite localities in France for both mineral specimens but also commercial-grade fluorspar. It operated from 1956 until 2006, producing 650,000 tons of fluorspar. Specimen-wise it is best known for exceptionally fine blue Fluorite crystals, the best of which display striking zonation with darker blue bands around the edges of the crystals. This fine miniature matrix specimen comes from Arvid Pasto's famous Fluorite collection and presents a slightly grey-blue bed of glassy Fluorite cubes, individually reaching to 9 mm on edge. When rotated (see the video) it becomes apparent that these crystals display the classic darker outer zone, making for a true Le Burg mine classic.