Tuesday Update – Chinese Fluorite

HERE in the Northern Hemisphere we are now a couple of weeks into meteorological spring and also several weeks into Chinese New Year and the Year of the Horse. To our Chinese friends, a belated but very happy New Year.

China is the world’s second largest economy but its influence in mining is far more wide-reaching, not only within the country but around the globe too.

Surprisingly, the flow of mineral specimens from China has slowed markedly in recent times. Perhaps more specimens are being purchased within the country as there has been a trend in Chinese customers buying high-end specimens as their tastes become more cultivated.

Many of the Fluorite specimens listed in today’s update come from the remarkable Fluorite collection assembled by Arvid Pasto with some having even figured in his 2009 book, Collector’s Guide to Fluorite.

Back then, the wave of new mineralogical discoveries from China was still very much rising, but fast forward to today and new finds of Chinese Fluorite are rare indeed. Many of the mines represented by the specimens today have closed, or no longer produce fine Fluorite crystals, making these pieces classics.

Some of the mines, such as De'an Fluorite mine in Jiangxi Province, produced such distinctive forms of Fluorite that specimens are instantly recognizable. Others, like Yaogangxian mine in Hunan Province, provided such variation in colour, shape and combination with associated species, that recognizing them without a label would be a challenge. This diversity can be seen even within this small update.

In all, ten different mines are represented, but the most recent find of these is the unusual inky-blue rounded Fluorite crystals on white Quartz from Huanggang Fe-Sn Deposit, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region which was found c. 2014, showing how times have changed.

Please note: Today's featured specimens are situated at both our US and UK showrooms.