Detailed information
Dimensions
19 x 30 x 46
mm
Weight
17 g
Locality
Bigrigg Mine, Bigrigg West Cumberland Iron Field Cumbria, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
There are several mines in the West Cumbrian Iron Mining District that are world-famous for the stunning Calcite crystals which they produced from the 1890s through into the 20th century. Of those, Bigrigg mine is probably the most iconic, although the neighbouring Pallaflat mine was equally great and as both were near to the village of Bigrigg some of the Pallaflat specimens probably got labelled as from Bigrigg mine. This fine individual crystal from the Malcolm Southwood Collection presents the classic crystal-clear prismatic form with iron staining inclusions at it base. Its upper crystal faces are very nicely formed, with excellent parallel striated termination faces, but there is some minor age-related chipping and wear. Lower down one side of the crystal, the edge bends inwards, presumably where it was once joined to another nearly parallel crystal, and two smaller crystals sit alongside its base. These smaller crystals are also terminated and show lovely internal inclusions. A small, but very fine classic from this famous West Cumbrian mine.