UTR21-44
Cassiterite
Cryo-Genie Mine, Warner Springs, San Diego Co., California, USA
Thumbnail, 2.9 x 2.8 x 2.0 cm
Ex. Robert E. Reynolds
$1,250.00 Payment Plan Available
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A very sharp and rare, complex, V-twinned, metallic black Cassiterite "toenail" from this underappreciated and little-known California pegmatite. The twinned crystals are sharply formed, are complex and have abundant, very small growth hillocks or features on their crystal faces that make the piece glisten. The V portion of the twin is very obvious at the lower front of the piece. Cassiterite from the Cryo-Genie pegmatite isn't rare, but well-formed crystals, let alone great twins like this, are not all common! This reminds me of some of the best twinned Cassiterite crystals from the Brazilian pegmatites! Bob Reynolds collection, obtained from the Gochenour brothers (claim owners) in the heyday of the claim, in the 1990s. Bob seems to have bought up many of the rare species produced in their tourmaline mining efforts, and hoarded them. This is one of the few we have seen, and it is a killer for California cassiterite!

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