Fluorite with Fluorapatite and Bertrandite

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This distinctive habit of Fluorite and its combination with Fluorapatite made the Akchatau tungsten mine in Karagandy Province, Kazakhstan famous during the later 1980s and early 1990s, but finds were short-lived and nothing similar has been seen since then. This superb cabinet-sized display specimen is a perfect example of this find, being aesthetic, large, and in excellent condition. The larger Fluorite crystals present the iconic deep purple opaque colour and perfect octahedral form, but a couple of the crystals have bruising to their tips. Nevertheless, their opaqueness means that this is less apparent when on display in comparison to glassy Fluorite crystals. Perhaps the most striking thing about this specimen is the association with small pale blue glassy Fluorapatite crystals. Their colour and hexagonal prismatic crystal shape could easily see them mistaken for Beryl var. Aquamarine, but they are well-known from this deposit as Fluorapatite. Additionally, some of the edges of these Fluorapatite crystals are coated in finely crystallized mid-purple Fluorite in a most unusual combination. Finally, and unconfirmed, look carefully in between the Fluorapatite crystals and you will see clustered white to cream platy crystals which are quite likely to be the rare beryllium species Bertrandite. A really classy rare cabinet-sized piece from the famous older finds at Akchatau mine.