Cassiterite

Unknown Owner

This miniature Cassiterite specimen from Polberro mine, near St. Agnes, Cornwall is from a very old collection, but has unfortunately been chopped at with a rock saw at some point. It still has at least one very gemmy well-formed Cassiterite crystal, measuring 7 mm across, but the cuts into the matrix run very close to it. The most important feature now is Sir Arthur Russell's distinctive handwritten label, documenting that the specimen came from George Croker Fox's collection in Falmouth. The Fox's were a large and wealthy family who had involvement in many of the Cornish mines and many family members assembled fine mineral collections. Ex Malcolm Southwood collection, no. MS 2001.021.