Franklinite with Willemite

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Classic Franklin Mining District material. A large miniature specimen comprising bright massive white Calcite matrix from which protrude three euhedral octahedral black Franklinite crystals and a reddish-brown euhedral Willemite crystal. The largest Franklinite crystal is 15 mm across and the smallest about 10 mm. The Willemite crystal is about 10 mm in length. The abundance of Franklinite in the orebodies in the Franklin Mining District sometimes makes us forget how rare a species it is on a world scale. Even with this abundance, good individual crystals are uncommon and good crystals attached to matrix rarer still. This large miniature specimen is a lovely example with the black Franklinite crystals and brown Willemite contrasting with the bright white Calcite matrix for dramatic effect. All three Franklinite crystals show minor damage or imperfections, but these require close inspection to be noticed.