Blue Fluorite on Quartz

Description

Rich cobalt-to-electric blue Fluorite crystals create a dense, lustrous display across a strongly contrasting pale Quartz matrix.

This highly attractive cabinet specimen comes from the renowned Huanggang Fe–Sn deposit of Inner Mongolia. Numerous cobalt-blue to electric-blue Fluorite crystals cover the pale Quartz matrix, producing a bold colour contrast and a complex, three-dimensional surface.

The Fluorite forms densely intergrown, lustrous aggregates with well-defined crystalline detail visible across the display face. Subtle blue-green and pale green areas around selected margins add further tonal variation without distracting from the intense blue colour.

Quartz forms the architectural foundation of the piece, appearing as pale crystallised matrix between and beneath the Fluorite groups. The composition has excellent depth, texture and balance, with several strong viewing angles shown in the accompanying photographs.

At 15 cm high and weighing 875 grams, this is a substantial mid-to-large cabinet specimen. It is supplied with the complimentary stand shown, ready for immediate display.

Locality: Huanggang Fe–Sn Deposit, Hexigten Banner, Inner Mongolia, China.

Handling and care: Lift and support the specimen from its solid matrix. Fluorite has perfect cleavage, so avoid impacts and pressure on projecting crystals. Keep dry and clean only with a soft brush.

The crossing arrangement described above is an important part of the specimen’s silhouette. It lets the direction of individual crystals be followed through the group, with open spaces making their outlines more apparent. Intersecting crystals alone do not establish a specific twin law; here the description concerns the visible arrangement rather than a laboratory-confirmed crystallographic relationship.

The accompanying Quartz brings a silicate crystal habit into the association. Its surfaces and crystal outlines contrast with the featured mineral, giving the specimen more than one kind of growth to examine. The way the minerals occupy the same piece is part of its character: the setting retains their natural relationship and adds depth to the overall display.

Fluorite is calcium fluoride and crystallises in the cubic system. Cubes and octahedra are among its familiar forms, but intergrowths, modified faces and changes during growth can produce much more complex outlines. This combination of recognisable geometry and considerable variation makes Fluorite a rewarding mineral to collect by both crystal habit and locality.

Fluorite can be colourless or show a wide range of colours, sometimes within one specimen. Transparency, crystal thickness and illumination influence how those colours appear. Its glassy faces contrast with more textured areas and any accompanying matrix. Colour zoning and fluorescence are separate properties; a particular response under ultraviolet light should only be expected where it has been recorded for the individual piece.

The recorded origin is Huanggang Fe–Sn Deposit, Inner Mongolia, China. Within a collection of Fluorite specimens, this locality gives the piece a geographical identity alongside its particular crystal habit and natural setting.

The specimen measures 15 × 13 × 5 cm, with a recorded weight of 875 g. The proportions give a useful guide to its place in a display, with the individual crystal arrangement and mineral association remaining the principal points of interest.

Condition: A natural mineral specimen with the contacts, cleavages, matrix edges and extraction-related irregularities expected of mined material. Please examine all nine photographs carefully; the exact specimen shown will be supplied.

Fluorite has well-developed cleavage and should be supported by its stable matrix or mount. Avoid pressing on projecting cubes or corners. A secure indoor position allows the natural geometry and colour to be appreciated while keeping the exposed growth protected.