Description

This piece features an interlocking pair of spectacular fluorapatite crystals from the famous 2006 pocket at the Sapo Mine. These crystals are sharp, glassy and so amazing that they look as if they were machined (of course they are natural). They are doubly-terminated and exhibit two orders of pyramidal (“bevel”-like) faces. The crystal pair measures 2.3 cm across. In excellent condition – this is a killer.

Luiz Menezes and Frank & Wendy Melanson acquired the lot from this pocket – I acquired this wonderful specimen from Frank and Wendy years ago.

In his article on the Sapo Mine in The Mineralogical Record (July-August 2009, Vol 40:4), Luiz Menezes describes the morphology of the fluorapatites from the pocket. This specimen is what Luiz describes as “Habit 1,” hexagonal crystals with dark green microscopic inclusions. Under ultraviolet light, the fluorapatite crystals fluoresce yellow and the albite fluoresces red, as you can see in the last photo.