Name: Acanthite on Acanthite ps. Argentite
Brand: The Arkenstone
Price: 7500 USD
Availability: InStock

Acanthite on Acanthite ps. Argentite

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This specimen of octahedral, metallic, gray-black acanthite after argentite crystals from the Imiter mine in Morocco is just spectacular. It is an incredibly artistic and three-dimensional cluster that is composed of well over a dozen crystals. The individual acanthite crystals are between 4 mm to 4 cm and are stacked artistically in an elongate fashion on this attractive piece. These sharp, charcoal-gray metallic, somewhat distorted octahedrons have rough crystal faces (due to a secondary acanthite growth) with good edges and points. These are sharp, high-temperature isometric octahedrons of argentite that have converted to low-temperature monoclinic acanthite while retaining the original crystal shape. There are scattered, 2 to 5 mm, slightly iron-stained quartz crystals among the acanthite crystals. Complete all around, elegantly vertical, this is a superb acanthite by any standard from any other locality. Paul Stahl travelled himself to Morocco at least half a dozen times, to source and obtain these when they came out in the early 2000s for his patron, Dr. Erika Pohl. He kept a few for himself, in the process. No more of this quality has been found since the early 2000s. It remains one of the world's greatest finds of the species.