specimen
Details
ColorsGrey
SizeLarge
Dimensions12.5 x 10.0 x 6.3 cm
Description
Anyone reasonably familiar with the various Fluorite mines along the Weardale Valley in County Durham, Northern England, will instantly recognise material from the Blackdene mine at Ireshopeburn. Fluorite from here often forms fairly large purple cubic crystals, some faces of which may be coated in a thin layer of micro-crystals of Pyrite, Chalcopyrite or Galena. The largest crystal on this medium sized cabinet specimen measures 7 cm along its one complete edge and much of this face is coated in a druse of sub-millimetre, colourless to light grey Fluorite crystals with the occasional brassy Chalcopyrite crystal dotted here and there. Interestingly, the massive Fluorite beneath the purple crystals is a mottled mixture of sea greens. Under LWUV the crystals fluoresce bright violet while the green underside is bright whiteish lavender. Under SWUV the crystals do not fluoresce while the green zones are a dull, yet distinct, pale lavender. This specimen is ex. the Mike Brooke Collection.\n