Fluorite (gemmy 'phantom' cubes) (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

There are hundreds of localities for good quality Fluorites in China, but the Yaogangxian Mine is among the most prestigious due to the quantity and quality of its specimens. The pieces from this now classic mine are some of the most distinctive, eye-catching and downright impressive found in China. Here we have a group of very fine quality, sharp, lustrous, gemmy, rich purple and blue colored cubes of Fluorite measuring up to 4.7 cm on edge associated with a mixture of Calcite and Dolomite on the back / underside, plus minor silvery Arsenopyrite crystals. The Fluorite appears to be damage free to the naked eye on the display side, though when I looked closely with a loupe I could see a few VERY TINY imperfections. The back of the specimen is not complete because of how it grew and the was it was removed from the pocket wall, but it still displays wonderfully and stands out as a fine example from this famous mine. I'm sure many of you know how difficult it has become to obtain pieces of this quality with such excellent aesthetics and balance today. Valued at $3,000 in the inventory. 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.