Detailed information
Species
Hydroxylbastnäsite-(Ce) , Dolomite
Dimensions
49 x 50 x 40
mm
Weight
96 g
Locality
Trimouns Talc Mine Luzenac, Ariège Midi-Pyrénées, France
Condition
No recorded repairs
This excellent specimen of the rare-earth element (REE)-bearing mineral Hydroxylbastnäsite-(Ce) occurring as several platy hexagonal, pale apricot to marmalade orange crystals overlaying each other while slightly offset. They nestle in a shallow vug lined with snow white Dolomite crystals on a matrix of massive white Dolomite. This is one of a suite of REE minerals found at the Trimouns Talc mine at Luzenac, in Midi-Pyrénées, France. This vast opencast mine is at an elevation of 1800 m and only operates between April and November as it is too cold during the winter months, and deep in snow! This is a splendid example of Hydroxylbastnäsite-(Ce) display well developed crystals.