Millerite

$600.00

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A quite gorgeous miniature of beautifully crystallised Millerite from the Friedrich mine at Mittelhof, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; a mine begun in 1803 and worked intermittently until 1953 for nickel, iron and copper. The Millerite, a nickel sulphide, forms superb divergent sprays of bright golden acicular crystals, very-fine, but considerably thicker than the hair-like crystals more often seen. The delicate crystals form narrow, slim plumes averaging 1.5 cm tall in parallel growth and covering an area of some 3 x 2 cm on a mixed Calcite and sulphide matrix. The Calcite forms many pentagonal-dodecahedral, equant crystals of about 2 mm diameter and in micro-druses, stained apple green by nickel, so forming an aesthetic contrast to the Millerite. A delightful miniature from the Josef Clemente (1899-1987) Collection of southern Germany; it’s really fabulous!