Cryolite

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test test - Cryolite, named after 'ice-stone' due to its colourless to white appearance is a rare sodium aluminium fluorine mineral which was coincidentally first discovered in the icy landscape of Greenland. Despite possessing a monoclinic crystal structure crystals tend towards cubic forms but most commonly Cryolite is seen as featureless white masses. Crystals are rare and much sought after, making this cabinet-sized display specimen very special indeed. The square-faced glassy colourless crystals are concentrated in one main cavity where they are stepped, but alligned, so that when light reflects off one crystal, it reflects upon them all. Intergrown with the Cryolite is Siderite, as dark brown rhombic crystals. This association is a classic from the Ivigtut Cryolite Deposit. Although mined for Cryolite, crystals were always rare and reportedly virtually all good crystals came from two large pockets a long time ago. One of the old accompanying labels mentions the year 1894 and this specimen comes with a custom-made acryllic Sunnywood display stand.