HELVINE with Calcite

$8,000.00

$40.00 shipping
Seller offers an extended return window of up to 30 days
Ships from USA

Crystal ClassicsFeatured

Tucson, Arizona, USA

7,543 for sale·132 sold

Helvine is a wonderful mineral species: with an unusual chemistry - beryllium manganese silicate with sulphur; a propensity to form superb tetrahedral crystals; and often with a rich colour. There have been a few great discoveries within the past couple of decades, particularly in China, and one of the stand-out occurrences is that of the Huanggang Fe-Sn Deposit, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China where razor sharp, glossy, richly coloured orange-brown crystals and crystal clusters were found. Specimens from there first appeared for sale in about 2011 but the supply had dried up within the space of five years. This dramatic small cabinet display specimen features a 4.8 cm long 'crown' of clustered immaculate Helvine crystals of the highest quality, and individually reaching 1.9 cm on edge, sat atop a ridge of platy Calcite crystals. The elevated position of the Helvine crystals means that they display exceptionally well 3-dimensionally. Look carefully, and you will see that the Helvine crystals are colour-zoned, with a lovely transition from beige brown in the centre, to orange brown at the edges. This world-class Helvine comes with a custom-made acryllic display stand. Ex Martin and Michael Günther collection (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).