Gratonite

Unknown Owner

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Cluster of large gratonite crystals (for the species) consisting of 1 to 3 mm very well-formed, bright, metallic gray, complex equant crystals that are nicely isolated in the cluster and are very distinct. The luster on these is the best I have seen in the species, amidst all I have handled! Although crystallizing in the hexagonal-rhombohedral system, these exceptional crystals look almost dodecahedral. Gratonite is a lead arsenic sulfide and Cerro de Pasco is the type locality for the species. We can't stress enough how good this gratonite thumbnail is in terms of crystal size and quality as well as the overall composition of the cluster. Competition level thumbnail! Ex. Frank Keutsch label indicating it is from the Paul Stahl collection (and kept since 1999!). Keep in mind that these are over 100 years old, and supposedly came out in the late 1800s, and you realize what an incredible specimen this really is...the single find has not been bested since then.