Calcite

This large cabinet specimen of superbly crystallised calcite is from Elmwood mine at Carthage in Smith County, Tennessee, USA, with an overall length of 11.7 cm. Sitting on a matrix of massive, milky Calcite, several Calcite crystals of differing habits project out, the largest and most eye-catching measuring approximately 7 cm tall. Unlike some of the other smaller scalenohedral crystals, the largest is highly flattened and distorted, with some faces reducing to just millimetres while other face are at the centimetre scale. All the Calcite crystals are translucent and terminate with a golden honey cap, adding a rich aesthetic to the specimen. The large crystal is much better appreciated in the video where its size and interesting morphology becomes apparent.