Fluorite

This specimen might only be provenanced to Xinjiang, China, but it sure is a funky thing! Two intergrown cubic Fluorite crystals, the largest to 4 cm across, are topped with additional 2 to 3 mm tall cubic crystals in what is probably best described as epitaxial overgrowth. These smaller crystals look like a 'cityscape' - high rise buildings, dotted over the Fluorite land surface. All of the Fluorite is purple of a mid hue, but when backlit the smaller overgrowth crystals appear darker, producing a lovely effect. This is certainly a most distinctive type of Fluorite.