Fluorapophyllite and Stilbite

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This is a superb and rare, completely exposed "flower" of the most intensely colored mint green apophyllite crystals that you can ask for. While common in general as a species, specimens like this, with such prestigious color, luster, and complete-all-around terminated crystal clusters, are super rare. On matrix, takes it to another level! Lastly, it has a contrasting white stilbite for a sharp contrast; and this adds even more to the aesthetics and importance of the specimen for examples of this species in the size range. Out of 10000 pieces a year of green apophyllite mined in India, there might be 1-2 pockets of quality like this, and most of those feature crystals rather buried into the matrix. Such freestanding clusters, with such quality, on such balanced matrix...I am lucky if I can buy one such specimen every few years, despite my aggressive buying and 30-plus year relationships with sources. It seems pedestrian at first look, but such apophyllite specimens are actually quite rare and, to my eye, among the most beautiful of minerals; and made all the more valuable by the rarity of truly great ones amongst the common. For the size, this is a superb example, hard to beat. The cluster is just under 5 cm across and just under 4 cm tall as shown horizontally.