Bournonite ("cogwheel") with Siderite (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

Bournonite from the classic contemporary locality at Yaogangxian has found its place among the finest examples of the species extant. This thumbnail sized display piece is from one of the early finds at Yaogangxian (early 2000s) when some of the best Bournonites were found. A 1.8 cm very sharp and well-formed, silvery metallic crystal in a classic "cogwheel" formation is highlighted by a tan "discs" of Siderite. There appears to be minor cubic lilac Fluorite crytals (partially etched on the side of the piece as well). There are a few contacts, so the piece is not 100% damage free, but it still displays nicely, and these specimens are virtually non-existent on the market now. Ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.