Detailed information
Species
Neptunite, Benitoite, Natrolite
Dimensions
49 x 76 x 32
mm
Weight
106 g
Locality
California State Gem Mine New Idria District, Diablo Range San Benito Co., California, USA
Condition
No recorded repairs
This rather richly crystallized Benitoite and Neptunite dating from 1981 (accompanied by a label noting R. Barstow, 1981) comes from the famous California State Gem mine in San Benito Co., California, USA - the Type Locality for Benitoite. Very small cabinet in size, the chalky, white Natrolite, has been etched away to expose many glossy black terminated, and in many instances doubly-terminated prismatic crystals of Neptunite, up to 1.5 cm in length. Associated with these are several very well-formed pale cornflower-blue three-sided Benitoite crystals, up to 5 mm across, although there are larger fragmentary crystals also visible. The Benitoite crystals are not of the absolute richest intensity of colour, but are good, and the number of perfectly formed smaller crystals is really excellent for what has become a highly collectible species. There is some damage to the Neptunite crystals at one end of the specimen, but most of the crystals in the central display are in excellent condition. A really rich association of these important Californian species.
