Orpiment and Calcite

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Not only is the Jiepaiyu Mine home to some of the best Orpiment specimens in the world, it is the most substantial source of arsenic, hosted in a carbonate material, in the entire Asian continent. That being said, this is an exceptional cabinet specimen, featuring packed clusters of rich Orpiment sprays intermingling with sharp Calcite scalenohedrons, all aesthetically rising above a single immense Calcite scalenohedron, which reaches 15.3 centimeters across the c-axis. The Orpiment is translucent and grades between shades of burnt orange-red to bright yellow, contrasting nicely against the more translucent, white Calcite crystals. For the most part, the largest Calcite crystal is gemmy and glassy, complete all around with some twinning. This piece comes with a custom acrylic base. Please note the custom base is potentially mislabeled, indicating the specimen is from the "Shimming Realgar Mine" when it is more likely the Jiepaiyu Mine in Shimen County.