Detailed information
Species
Native Bismuth
Dimensions
37 x 55 x 22
mm
Weight
98 g
Locality
Callington Area Cornwall, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
This terrific miniature, rich in Native Bismuth, is from the Callington Mining District, about midway between Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, in eastern Cornwall. Although not recorded on the label, the Bismuth appears to be frozen in a matrix of Cassiterite, the latter varying from mid grey to small grains of chocolate brown. The Native Bismuth forms as thin stringers and individual grains and where one stringer is revealed in more detail across the display surface, well-formed micro-crystals are clearly visible using a loupe of about x5. The Bismuth crystals are a buttery golden silver with a bright metallic lustre and form as layered stacked platelets, micro-hexagonal plates and acicular laths.