Specimen #486

Name: Fluorite

Type: Mineral

Locality: Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee, USA

Favorite? N

Fluorescent? N

Size: 9.9 x 5.8 x 4.4 cm

Weight:

Acquired: 2007-09-11

Source: Arkenstone Auction

Label: Y

Comment: This is just a remarkable Elmwood fluorite specimen, due to the unusual lightness and transparency of the crystals (which can often be quite dark and are usually much more opaque than this). These are very slightly golden, with just a hint of purple. They have the very distinctive gemmy corners that are unique to Elmwood (not all the fluorites from here, but some of them - and they add to the desirability). The central crystal here measures 3.6 cm across the edge. On the back of the specimen are a few crystals of sphalerite, the zinc ore that was the reason for the mine in the first place (which, sadly, closed not too long back, drying up the specimen market).

Minerals: Fluorite (CaF₂)

There is one picture on file

M00486-01.jpg:

Fluorite, Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Tennessee - 9.9 x 5.8 x 4.4 mm