Stibnite on matrix

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A large and commanding spray of Stibnite from the Lushi area in China, a historic location which produced specimens during mining operations in the 1980s and into the 1990s, but not since. Any specimens on matrix from those days are extremely rare, as the miners simply snapped the crystals off and sold most of them singly at the time. The number of good matrix specimens from this older location that we have seen are very few. This big spray is composed of numerous, divergent, lustrous, metallic sprays of Stibnite attached to matrix on one side. The large spray is actually a composite of several sprays originating from roughly the same area and the divergent crystals range in size from a few centimeters up to 8 cm in length and there are numerous, smaller, slender Stibnites near the base of the sprays around the periphery. All of the Stibnite crystals exhibit an exceptionally bright, silver-gray. metallic luster, are striated parallel to their length and capped by bright, mirror-like terminations. One large crystal is of particular interest in that it displays a significant bend and then continues its vertical growth. The striations in the larger crystals is so pronounced they might be more accurately termed furrows and some of these large crystals exhibit what we have determined as lamellar twinning parallel to their length along the {130} and or {120}. In any case, with the dramatic perch on matrix and the curving crystal, this stands out as an important and beautiful, aesthetic matrix Stibnite piece. Ex. Steve Smale collection with label.