Fluorite with Quartz

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Chinese fluorite has run the range of colors and shapes, and I thought we had seen it all. In mid-2016, a small pocket was hit at this deep commercial tungsten ore mine, with some of the most lustrous, most richly colored, gem fluorite crystals we have yet seen, in beautiful harmony with quartz crystals. I was lucky enough to obtain a small group of stellar specimens at the top of the find, which all came from a single 3 x 3 foot section off one wall of the pocket after a blast. I actually was lucky enough to be in this large ore mine shortly after it was found, and see how far in and how difficult it is to get such things out. Nothing from later pockets approached this quality - believe me, I went to the mine to see myself, and have kept watch ever since. Being in this mine and seeing the conditions worked under to extract specimens is truly humbling! The photo and video say it all: GLASSY luster, color, transparency, aesthetics - all together, unique among Chinese fluorites. This is yet another style of fluorite from China, but one of the best ever finds in terms of sheer quality, to my eye. Comes with custom lucite base. Photos and video by Joe Budd. A video can be seen at this link: https://vimeo.com/198294019