Fluorapatite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

A beautiful toenail sized specimen of the rarely seen pink Fluorapatite specimens from the famous locality at Stak Nala in Pakistan. While this locale is best known for its fantastic Tourmalines, pieces like this are just as valuable to collectors, as they are almost impossible to find. The piece features a predominant, sharp, baby pink colored, tabular hexagonal crystal group with additional smaller accenting Fluorapatites at the base. The luster is highly reflective and almost looks "wet" in areas. The right side of the piece is not broken, it was contacted at one point, but since recrystallized ("re-healed"), so there is no major damage to be seen. A wonderful example of this classic material, and it's notably fluorescent to boot! From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #18357CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.