PAS-172
Margarite
Chester Emery Mines, Chester, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, USA
Cabinet, 13.9 x 12.0 x 8.9 cm
Ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
SOLD
This remarkable specimen features a LARGE display face the size of a big grapefruit covered with upright, platy crystals of margarite. It is extremely RARE for margarite to crystallize anyways and 99% of all margarite from there is massive xline material. Margarite is typically found in either masses of platy crystals, intergrown, or what is typical for the location, veins or veinlets. In general, the thicker the better at this location, with some of the thicker veins of margarite reaching an inch or two, and maintaining a pink color. This one is atypical, since the margarite looks to have formed along a slip face, allowing the 3D growth; the one here is thus a little unusual based on other historic specimens from this locality in East Coast collections (per Jim Chenard, pers. comm.). It also has some diaspore and rutile in association.