T08-25B
Hematite Pseudomorph After Magnetite
Payun volcano, Altiplano de Payun Matru, Mendoza, Argentina
Cabinet, 11.0 x 9.0 x 3.5 cm
SOLD
This superb large cabinet piece is a perfect floater, complete all around, and with elongated crystals covered by a secondary growth of sparkling, lustrous hematite. Along with 25A, this is one of the best large examples of thismaterial I have yet seen in over 6 years of on-and-off production from this highly restricted collecting ground. For reasons I cannot explain, this new find of late 2007 has incredible luster, a real sparkle and not just a metallic sheen to it. This piece floored me because of the form, a central symmetry which devolves into such opposite forms on the left and right. Few mineral specimens have such geometric contrast on one piece as these - this one in particular. I admit Bill Larson beat me to this one and I had to trade him out of it (at this price, I did not raise it otherwise so its not a 2X markup or anything like that). This is a pristine floater, complete all around, with better luster in person than appears here.