RARE16J-37
Bismuth, Nickelskutterudite and Quartz
Schlema-Hartenstein District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Small Cabinet, 6.4 x 4.0 x 3.5 cm
$1,600.00 Payment Plan Available
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A rich, and relatively attractive display quality specimen of bismuth with minor nickelskutterudite (cloanthite) from the historic Schlema-Hartenstein silver-uranium mining district in the Erzgebirge region of Germany. Complex, reticulated and elongated, bright to tarnished, metallic crystals of bismuth, some possibly hoppered, are tighly grouped on the piece along with warped, elongate, crystals of metallic, tin-white to silver gray (also tarnished) nickelskutterudite. The two species are set off well by the contrasting whitish gray to brownish vein/drusy quartz matrix. The piece displays very well when positioned vertically. A very hefty piece! An experienced label with the specimen indicates that, at one point, it was from the mineral dealer (mineralienhandel) A. u. M. Schwarz of Schneeberg. While I have seen many such specimens, this one has a particularly good aestehtic balance in its size and price class.