Smaltite (Skutterudite) - rare sharp xls

Item Description

Smaltite is an old-time synonym for skutterudite. It was originally described as a cobalt diarsenide species (as early as 1529!) and was then reclassified as an arsenic-deficient variety of skutterudite in the 1900s (MINDAT). It is quite uncommon worldwide and is rare in display-quality specimens. Sharp crystals, such as this, are RARE and desirable from the renowned Cobalt-Gowganda area of Ontario. This is a very rich, sculptural and aesthetic specimen of sharp, metallic crystals with some botryoidal surfaces and a beautiful variable cobalt iridesence on matrix. Even the contacted and undamaged back of the piece shows the sharpness of the crystals. Rich ore here. This is an exceptional and rare quality example for the locality, reminiscent of old German material (a similar piece of which would be priced at $1000 and more for the old locality!), but perhaps more rare for a Canadian locale in this quality.