Scheelite with Fluorite and Dolomite - image 1

Scheelite with Fluorite and Dolomite

Unknown Owner

Yaogangxian mine in Hunan Province is a very important Chinese high temperature, tin-tungsten mineral deposit for mineral specimens. Several distinct styles of mineralization are present in the area, with some having been mined since the early 20th century, but it is from early 21st century mining operations that it has become famous due to its fine aesthetic mineral specimens. This great miniature specimen shows an unusual combination between a bright purple cube of Fluorite with toffee-coloured bipyramidal octahedral Scheelite crystals on pale cream coloured curved saddle-shaped Dolomite crystals with an unusual bladed Quartz crystal too. The Fluorite crystal reaches 6 mm on edge and the largest Scheelite crystal is a similar size too, but the combination of colours and crystal shapes makes this specimen from Arvid Pasto's collection rather charming.