Description
Detailed Description
This is a richly-coloured yellow fluorite specimen, with a prominent 1.5 cm crystal. The fluorite crystals are sharp, with the best glassy lustre for this find. The largest crystal has a nice phantom (purple, very fine line), visible in part because the relative transparency of the crystal shows the light-coloured matrix under it, providing a nice background for seeing the crystal colour and the phantom. Some nice internal sparkle among these crystals as well. In excellent condition, small corner chips in a couple of places and some incomplete crystals around the periphery where the specimen was attached to the surrounding rock. A beautiful, colourful plate of fluorite crystals.
About These El Hammam Mine Fluorites
The El Hammam Mine has long been a well-known locality for fluorite specimens. This recent small pocket has produced unusually fine sharp yellow crystals.
The hue of these fluorites varies, depending on the light source (common for fluorite), from a warmer honey-yellow under halogen, to a slightly brighter yellow in daylight and even a bit bolder under cool-temperature LED lighting. (This effect is different with each specimen, some show it more and some less). The depth of the yellow colour also varies from one specimen to the next thanks to the fine, faint purple phantoms in many of the crystals.
