Fluorite with Sphalerite and Pyrite

Unknown Owner

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Milpo mine in the remote Atacocha mining district in Peru has recently come to the attention of mineral collectors because of the beautiful vibrant green Fluorite crystals which often display complex cubo-octahedral forms. This lovely miniature specimen is a complex aggregate of translucent cubo-octahedral crystals individually reaching 1.8 cm across. The cubo-octahedral crystals are aligned and stepped, and mostly display smooth, glossy cubic faces, with rough, grooved, or pitted pyramidal faces. Small golden pyritohedron Pyrite crystals are developed along the base of the Fluorite in two areas and minor tiny dark brown Sphalerite crystals are sparsely scattered across the surface of the Fluorite. The Fluorite crystals display a form that is wonderfully complex. The base of the Fluorite is a cleaved/broken surface and there is some minor damage to the crystals around the edge of the specimen, but those on the display surface are very good. A natural fracture runs through the centre of the specimen, but is solid and unrepaired. The Fluorite is a very fine intense green and with backlighting really glows, with paler yellow-green edges.