Detailed information
Species
Fluorite
Dimensions
103 x 118 x 45
mm
Weight
432 g
Locality
Okorusu Mine Otjiwarongo District Namibia
Condition
No recorded repairs
One of rarest and most collectable forms of Fluorite from the legendary Okorusu mine in Namibia is the purple variety where the crystals form in 'X' shapes with dark, almost black, internal square zones offset from the 'X' at 45 degrees. Strong illumination from backlighting is required to fully appreciate this habit of Fluorite and specimens are usually prepared by hollowing out their matrix to further enhance the affects of backlighting. This magnificent large flat(ish) plate of dark purple, strongly colour-zoned Fluorite crystals has massive potential, having not been prepared at all. However, stunning zoning is already presented in one 4.2 x 3.3 cm cross-shaped crystal at one end of the piece and other crystals around the specimen show glimpses of their zonation with strong illumination. There is a crack running across one of the crystals at one of the three corners of this broadly triangular-shaped specimen, but it is not loose and not repaired either. Otherwise, all of the many large terminated Fluorite crystals across the display surface are free from damage with a uniform very glossy, glassy surface appearance. Around the sides of the specimen a couple of slight chips can be seen, but overall this is of the highest quality for Okorusu mine and comes from an older German collection.