Pyrrhotite from Finland

Uvarovite is a rare calcium chromium garnet which occurs in highly distinctive deep emerald green crystals in just a few places around the world. Due to its beauty and rarity it is a very desirable mineral but only one locality, that at Outokumpu in the Eastern Finland Region has ever produced significant large crystals. However, with size often comes loss of clarity, meaning that large, well-formed gemmy Uvarovite crystals are exceptionally rare, and their price reflects this. This miniature specimen is from the superb systematic collection assembled by brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021) and is a superb example of how gemmy Uvarovite crystals can be. It features two Uvarovite crystals embedded within the typical Quartz matrix with Pyrrhotite. The largest Uvarovite crystal is 8 mm in diameter and displays exceptionally sharp crystal faces and the most desirable deep emerald green colour with a remarkable gemmy, glassy interior. A second, partial crystal, with good colour and some sharp crystal faces is seen on the other edge of the specimen, but this crystal shows internal fracturing. This is an incredibly fine Uvarovite from the premier locality for the species - the main crystal is nowhere near the largest known, but is quite simply stunning in terms of colour and transparency.