UTR21-63
Phlogopite Mica
Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
Small Cabinet, 8.5 x 7.4 x 5.2 cm
Ex. Chet Lemanski
$2,500.00 Payment Plan Available
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Several well-formed, columnar Phlogopite crystals in parallel growth comprise this commanding DISPLAY-QUALITY mica specimen from the USA, from the old Franklin Mine! The big crystals are an attractive, translucent brown on the sides and the terminations are a lustrous, silvery copper-brown. Individual crystals measure over three inches in length and up to an inch across. The Phlogopite crystals have well-defined pseudohexagonal outlines are somewhat translucent along their edges and strong backlighting reveals their true translucent character. There are small patches of white Calcite locally around the piece for a little contrast and this Calcite looks like it has been etched from around the periphery of the piece. This piece fluoresces yellow-orange in in longwave UV. What a great specimen of this Mica Group mineral! It is from the old Franklin-Sterling Hill area, probably from the Franklin Furnace days in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as it is similar to museum specimens as well as a provenanced piece we had previously dated here (https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/1373). This is a significant, if somewhat nonsexy species, addition to any Franklin or USA suite.

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