K326
Magnetite
ZCA Mine, 2500 foot Level, Balmat, New York (1992)
Miniature, 4.2 x 3.3 x 3.1 cm
Ex. Charlie Key
SOLD
These incredibly lustrous, sharp magnetites shocked people when they first came out in the 90s, from this working zinc mine. This is from the best pocket hit, in 1992, with big fat lustrous crystals! If you sit and look at them, you quickly see an incredible complexity of surface faces, curved outgrowths of the cubic form upon what seemed from afar like simply flat faces. This is a very aesthetic cluster, with 3-dimensional form and super luster. These are not "black rocks," but rather minerals with such jet-black and LUSTROUS surface that its almost OK to call them colorful. An American classic, now, and hard to obtain in this quality. The piece is really hard to photo - it is better in person. There is damage or contact on either side of the main display face, but it can be displayed with the predominant crystal showing nicely, above it all. Its really a very good piece, just hard to convey this in writing and photos.