Chondrodite

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This is a sharp, colorful and somewhat gemmy single crystal of Chondrodite from the old Tilly Foster Iron Mine in New York. It was a relatively large Iron ore (Magnetite) deposit discovered in 1810 and closed in 1897 after after 13 miners were killed in a rockslide. Specimens today are difficult to come by and there are collectors dedicated to acquiring Tilly Foster material. This well-formed, single crystal measures 1.9 cm in maximum dimension and has excellent red-brown (almost burgundy wine) color with good luster. The crystal is complete and has a very small bit of attached, light colored matrix. This is a lovely and significant crystal for the locality. An old classic! This is rare in that it is not only historic, but meets modern quality requirements for top-of-the-line collecting of superb specimens of rare species. It is one of the better thumbnail crystals we know to be extant, for sharpness, color, and size in combination.