Description
A fluorapatite crystal in orange calcite from the classic locality, the Yates Mine, Otter Lake, Quebec (now closed and the land has been reclaimed). The main crystal is complete, doubly-terminated, with a mix of green and brown colouring.
The crystal also evidences the calcite vein-dike environment in which it formed – in this case, the crystal surface has contacts with other minerals from the melt. When it formed, this crystal was in a carbonate melt with other compounds that crystallized out of the melt before the melt itself cooled and crystallized (the latter forming the orange calcite all around the crystals). There is purple fluorite in the calcite along the edge of the large fluorapatite crystal.
This specimen is from the Steve Szilard collection, originally from the Royal Ontario Museum. The ROM donated it to the auction at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, where Steve acquired it.
In good condition – there is a chipped corner at the lower termination. At the upper termination corner there is a notch – with magnification it looks like this is largely natural with perhaps tiny chipping. These are small in the context of this fine cabinet specimen – it stands perfectly as photographed and looks super in the cabinet.
