Hematite

$8,500.00

$40.00 shipping
Seller offers an extended return window of up to 30 days
Ships from USA

A stunning, large, aesthetic specimen of pure Hematite, var. Kidney Ore, from the famous Ullcoats mine in Cumbria, England. This specimen is not just spectacular and large - measuring in at 30 cm in length and weighing in at 9 kg - but looks great too! From one angle the botryoidal aggregates of Hematite form a long line, like a caterpillar crawling. The surface texture varies from somewhat matt and mottled on one side, to smooth and glossy on the other. In places the layers, or skin, of botryoidal Hematite has peeled away to reveal variations in colour and lustre and adds to the interest. Underneath, the internal 'onion-skin' layers of compact fibrous Hematite can be seen clearly. A small old handwritten label documenting Ullcoats mine as the source accompanies the specimen, giving assurance that it did genuinely come from this famous mine, rather than in some cases a specimen being assigned to the locality simply because it was a famous locality. Ullcoats mine was one of the larger of the Whitehaven district mines. Opened in 1900, it regularly produced over 100,000 tons of ore annually, eventually merging with first Florence mine and then Beckermet mine too. Due to its weight additional postage charges will be made for delivery of this specimen.