large Tourmaline & Lepidolite on Cleavelandite (Dr. Steve Smale Coll.)

Item Description

An impressive, colorful and large older combination from the famed Pederneira Mine. A dominating, gemmy, 3.5 cm bi-colored, bottle-green with a purple/blue cap tourmaline proudly rises up from the pearlescent cleavelandite matrix on one end of the piece. About 16 more tourmalines and tourmaline sections are attractively scattered on the piece. The stout 3.0 cm tourmaline on the left side has a healed termination. The dramatic large field of gemmy, gorgeous lilac lepidolites is a superlative contrast and accessory to the white of the cleavelandite and green of the tourmalines. This an outstanding OLDER material from this renowned locale from the Steve Smale Collection. Steve, a world renowned mathematician and mineral collector, acquired this striking large piece during one of his many work trips to Brazil starting in 1971. It was mined in the 1980s. Valued at $3500-4500. Old large Pederneira pieces of this combination quality are very uncommon.