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Cinnabar (twinned)
Intense cherry-red adamantine lustrous penetration-twinned crystal from one of the classic, indeed historic, Chinese locations for this mercury species. Chinese cinnabar crystals are simply the best in the world, period. Historically, much of this material was mined and used for medicines and jewelry items, and such crystals actually were among the first Chinese minerals to be seen by Western eyes in the modern mineral era when Doug Parsons found them in an herbal medicine street market on early travels to China in the mid 1980s. This has the look and feel of an old specimen, and is likely from the 80s-90s. The mine is now closed. Alex bought this in China from a Chinese dealer, when he was there with us in May 20, 2016, during the 3rd Chenzhou (Hunan Province) Gem and Mineral Show, Chenzhou, Hunan, China. Photo: Photo: Jeff Scovil. Featured in the master's class book on thumbnail collecting, Refined Elegance (Mineralogical Record, Nov. 2022) on page 75.
Unknown Owner
Product details
Species
SizeMiniature
Dimensions2.7 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm
Locality
Fenghuang Mercury Mine, Fenhuang Co., Xiangxi, Hunan, China
Publications
- Mineralogical Record Special Issue: Refined Elegance page 77
Added on10/23/2024
Comments
Known provenance
2025/02
Unknown Owner
$2,450.00—Species and Locality Wiki Pages
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