Fluorite, Quartz on Fluorite

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These two-toned Fluorites from the De'an Mine are arguably one of the most exciting Chinese Fluorite finds for sheer novelty compared to other worldwide deposits. A large plate of Fluorite and needle-like quartz hosts razor-sharp, translucent, Fluorite octahedrons with purple and green tones. An early stage of pale green Fluorite serves as the substrate for a blanket of contrasting stark white quartz needles followed by the deposition of a second generation of bicolored Fluorite. The bi-colored Fluorites on this sculptural cabinet piece range from a few millimeters up to 2.0 cm and range in color from dominantly green to mostly purple; however, the majority are variegated with one color dominant over the other, but purple, when present is always restricted to the edges of the octahedrons. All of the crystals are essentially damage free. I particularly like the aesthetics of the isolation of many of the crystal clusters on this piece. Mining has stopped at the De'an Mine and any specimens you see are from existing old stock. This is from the collection of Dr. Steve Smale, acquired pre-2010.