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Lot 8178
Calcite and Sphalerite
4 December 2005, 11:00 PST
Los AngelesSold for US$352.50 inc. premium
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Find your local specialistCalcite and Sphalerite
Elmwood Mine
Smith County, Tennessee
The largest zinc mines in the United States today are located in the north central Tennessee near the town of Carthage. The bounty from these mines is not limited to the metallic zinc that is derived from the mineral sphalerite (a sulfide of zinc and iron)—it has yielded a mind-boggling number of spectacular mineral specimens for the collector, in particular some of the best calcite crystals ever found in the United States. These mines, now entirely closed due to economics, have since flooded as a result of their abandonment. Such specimens are likely to increase in value as a result as there are few remaining on the market.
The present specimen features a twinned double-terminated, golden calcite crystal another crystal beside it on a matrix of sphalerite. The crystal edges are sharp and the semi-transparent nature of the prisms allows the specimen to be illuminated from behind, suffusing them with a soft honey-colored glow. Measuring 8 x 5 x 4 1/4in.
Smith County, Tennessee
The largest zinc mines in the United States today are located in the north central Tennessee near the town of Carthage. The bounty from these mines is not limited to the metallic zinc that is derived from the mineral sphalerite (a sulfide of zinc and iron)—it has yielded a mind-boggling number of spectacular mineral specimens for the collector, in particular some of the best calcite crystals ever found in the United States. These mines, now entirely closed due to economics, have since flooded as a result of their abandonment. Such specimens are likely to increase in value as a result as there are few remaining on the market.
The present specimen features a twinned double-terminated, golden calcite crystal another crystal beside it on a matrix of sphalerite. The crystal edges are sharp and the semi-transparent nature of the prisms allows the specimen to be illuminated from behind, suffusing them with a soft honey-colored glow. Measuring 8 x 5 x 4 1/4in.

