Rutile

$900.00

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This small miniature of beautifully crystallised Hematite, against which lie flattened Rutile crystals, is from the spectacular Cavradi Gorge within the Curnera Valley of Grischun, Switzerland. Although at a high elevation, this deep gorge still lies within the more temperate zone, allowing rich green vegetation to adorn the mountain faces and tenaciously cling to the near vertical gorge walls. Mineralised Alpine fissures are plentiful within the Permian and Carboniferous mica schists and gneisses. Thick, black metallic hexagonal plates of highly lustrous Hematite form an interwoven, elongated cluster with no matrix. Rutile, one of the several titanium oxide polymorphs, forms transparent, burnt cherry red plate-like prisms which sit flat against the Hematite plates.