Calcite with sand inclusions (ex Alex Venzke Collection)

Item Description

A beautiful and rarely seen specimen of the famous and elusive "Sand" Calcites from Rattlesnake Butte in South Dakota. This locality is sometimes referred to as "Devil's Hill" or "Snake Hill", but the specimens are unmistakable. This piece is a showy pair of sharp, well-formed, scalenohedral crystals of Calcite that have a beige tinge created by particles of sand included inside the Calcites. The crystals are intergrown to create a lovely "cross" shape. According to MINDAT: the site is a National Natural Landmark (NNL) and is closed to collecting, but a fair amount of specimens came out over 50 years ago. The piece is essentially a complete "floater" with no damage or point of attachment anywhere. This specimen comes from the collection of our own Alex Venzke (#196.20), member of the leadership team of the Young Mineral Collectors group, a member of the mindat.org management team, a board member for the national Friends of Mineralogy organization, a board member for the Mineralogical Society of the District of Columbia, and co-founder and current Vice President of the Friends of Mineralogy Virginia Chapter.