Crocoite

Unknown Owner

Crocoite is one of those instantly recognizable species with nothing else - natural at least - coming close to its dramatic colour and shape. For over a century and a half the world's only source was the Beresov mines in the Ural Mountains near Catherinberg, Russia and it was given the scientific name of Red Lead, or Lead Chromate. Artists used it in its powdered form as a beautiful orange pigment and its trade, like Lapis Lazuli, was widespread across Europe and Asia. Then, Tasmania was discovered and mines in the Dundas Mining Field encountered remarkable occurrences of Crocoite in the oxidized deposits. One of these, the thoughtfully named Red Lead mine, has produced stunning specimens of Crocoite but many are as delicate as they are beautiful. This amazing large cabinet specimen features dramatically large Crocoite crystals, to over 6 cm in length and 1 cm wide, but they are robust and flat-lying on a solid gossanous matrix. Both the size of these crystals and their colour is striking, making for a superb display specimen. None of the crystals are obviously terminated, but then Crocoite virtually never is, and in all my years I can't recall seeing what a terminated Crocoite crystal looks like - they just seem to grow into each other, or the matrix. A wonderful display specimen with simply huge crystals for this most desirable of species.