Fluorite on Dolomite

Unknown Owner

Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

Dramatic purple-cored, cuboctohedral fluorites to 2.6 cm across, are perched on a thin, elongated crystal of dolomite, a floater that is complete all around! This is a well-balanced specimen with contrast that is much more evident and 3dimensional in person. Overall, a very unique association I have not seen before and with two minerals both of high quality. The dolomites have a porcelain-like look to them and the form contrasts to the fluorites very nicely. This is from a new pocket found at the end of 2008, and quietly trickled into Tucson in 2009. It should be remembered as a very distinct style, something different from any we have seen before for the mine or a fluorite combination. NOTE: these exhibit the photographic property of metamerism. They change colors from halogen and professional bulbs (more blue) to indoor fluorescent lighting and even natural sunlight (more green). Examples from both are shown here. The change is startling if you do not expect it, and quite pronounced in the right lighting.