MTN23-23
Hematite with Hausmannite
Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari, Northern Cape, South Africa
Thumbnail, 3.0 x 2.1 x 1.0 cm
Ex. Charlie Key
$950.00
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These mirror-like crystals of hematite, with luster and glassiness so amazing that you can use them literally as mirrors for your face, came out of one single pocket around 2008, and brought to market by Charlie Key. He sold them to Marshall Sussman, who sold them to other dealers at the time. However, Charlie kept back a thumbnail, miniature, and small cabinet piece from each pocket he handled and later, Marshall and I purchased Charlie's private collection stash of such goodies, including this piece. It is a fine, large thumbnail, fully formed and with accent of hausmannite at the base. This remains, to many people, the best pocket of hematite from South Africa's Kalahari Manganese Fields. Crystals of this quality are hard to find. In a photo, it is hard to understand how this can be jet black and mirror-like at the same time. The best color comparison we can think of, for movie fans, is to compare it to the shine and depth of black color in Darth Vader's helmet from the old Star Wars movies.