Description
A brilliant central scalenohedral crystal of hematite, with smaller sparkling crystals. Scalenohedral crystals of hematite are quite rare, and this is from a prospect that was explored years ago for copper in the Canadian Arctic. Hadley Bay, on Victoria Island, hosted a contact containing calcite and hematite, and it was excavated to produce some specimens. The material was collected with the calcite enclosing the hematite and later etched to reveal these crystals.
The hematite crystals from this find varied in size and many were not as sharp and brilliant. This specimen is in excellent condition. Hematite crystals from this find usually have a slight growth hollowing or feathering (for lack of a better description), and may seem nicked when in fact this growth issue can be seen on crystals coming right out of the calcite, and crystals in protected areas of specimens. The crystals on this specimen are so sharp that this is only apparent upon close inspection with magnification.
A gorgeous hematite specimen from the Steve Szilard collection.
