Arsenopyrite

$600.00

$40.00 shipping
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The Yaogangxian mine, in Hunan Province, China is one of the most productive mines for fine crystallized mineral specimens, having furnished collectors cabinets since the 1990s, with not only one mineral species, but many, in world-class quality specimens. This small cabinet-sized specimen features two, almost parallel, sharply bladed, black Ferberite crystals, representing the ore of tungsten for which the mine worked. These crystals are sheared off at their base, which is also the base of the specimen, with the longest reaching 6 cm in length. Both present natural, slightly serrated tips, but are fully terminated and well formed. These crystals sit alongside a similar, dual crystal of Quartz, variety Rock Crystal, 7 cm in height. These crystals have a single pyramidal termination, with the second crystal, or crystals, terminated into the side of the main crystal, whose own pyramidal termination is chipped slightly at its summit. The black Ferberite crystals are partially coated with small hexagonal Muscovite crystals, tiny colourless Quartz crystals along with an exceptionally attractive 1.7 cm long wedge-shaped, golden to iridescent Arsenopyrite crystal. This Arsenopyrite has a slight chip along one edge, but is very shapely indeed. Ex Martin Kershaw Collection, no. 1017, it was recorded by him as from Baia Sprie in Romania, but is characteristic of Yaogangxian mine.