Calcite

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Wheal Wrey is legendary amongst Cornish mineral localities because of its distinctive, and arguably unique form of Calcite, as pseudohexagonal pseudoprisms. Discovered at the mine during the mid-1800s, they were highly collectible, but also very fragile. This interesting miniature example is unusual in forming wider, squat, pseudohexagonal crystals in a complex parallel intergrowth. This has the effect of making the specimen less fragile. Careful inspection of the 'flat' termination to the crystals reveals an added complexity, with the seemingly smooth 'pinacoid' face actually comprising many tens of stepped rhombic crystals all alligned. Angled in the light this surface is absolutely fascinating. Not only a classic from Wheal Wrey, but a very unusual crystal form too. Simply lovely.