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Spessartine

$65.00

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A brilliant lustrous deep red almost black crystal of spessartine 0.6 cm across set on a rhyolite matrix. In great condition. Ruby Mountain near Nathrop in Chaffee County, Colorado, is a volcanic landmark composed of alkali rhyolite and perlite flows formed millions of years ago. The area has a long history as a popular recreational collecting site rather than a commercial mine, attracting rockhounds searching its rocky slopes. It is famous for hosting small gas cavities within the rhyolite that contain gemmy, deep orange spessartine garnet crystals, historically misidentified as rubies and inspiring the mountain name, along with associated topaz and quartz. Collectors find these prized mineral specimens by screening and searching the weathered talus and loose rock debris found around the base of the volcanic outcrops.