Fluorite

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This miniature Fluorite specimen is not so much a dazzler, but more a rarity. It comes from the less well known Furzehill mine in west Devon. Remarkably, considering Furzehill is an unusual name, there are two mines of this name in west Devon, one southwest of Bere Alston above the River Tamar and another eight miles to the east-northeast outside Horrabridge. It is the former of these that contained Fluorite as a gangue mineral, and this old mine later went by the name East Tamar Consols. Fluorite can still be seen of the remaining dumps but crystals are rare. This well-crystallized specimen was part of Arvid Pasto's extensive Fluorite collection and despite lacking a prominent colour it is a fine example of Devon Fluorite. Forming a near pure aggregate of cubic Fluorite crystals, the crystals reach 2 cm on edge and display naturally slightly rounded edges. Their colour is mostly mottled colourless but with beige to cream internal inclusions and a notable thin blue-green line of colour zoning towards their outer edge. An unusual piece for collectors of British Fluorite, or West Country minerals.