VIET-08
Spinel
Luc Yen, Yenbai (Yen Bai) Province, Vietnam
Cabinet, 9.9 x 5.6 x 4.1 cm
SOLD

This specimen hosts an approximately 2-cm cluster of two intergrown crystals, or perhaps one incredibly complicated twinned spinel doublet. From one angle, facing in to the lower-left photo, the crystal looks octohedral. From the side view, it is clearly a fat macle twin. So this is either a macle twin intergrown with an octohedral crystal, or perhaps it is one single large twinned crystal that somehow retained octohedral form on the side facing away from the twin plane. In any case, it certainly has unusual form! The crystal sadly has some very slight wear at its termination, but is still remarkable enough I was happy to get it and offer it (at an appropriately reduced price point, for the damage).