CHFLO-33
Fluorite on Dolomite
Shangbao, Hunan Province, China
Cabinet, 9.7 x 5.3 x 4.3 cm
SOLD
Dramatic purple-zoned, cuboctahedral fluorites to 3 cm across, are perched on a beautiful cluster of lustrous dolomite and quartz. The dolomites have a porcelain-like look to them. This piece is 3-dimensional and complete, all around. It can be displayed horizontally or vertically as you wish, with equal effect (and would be complete on all sides except the bottom, if horizontal). Purple crystals in this pocket were few and far between, it seems. The Chinese asked a huge premium for them, I am told. I have seen only a few amidst the green-blue colors more common in the pocket. This is from a new pocket found at the end of 2008, and quietly trickled into Tucson in 2009. It should be remembered as a very distinct style, something different from any we have seen before for the mine or a fluorite combination.