Fluorite

Fluorite from Boltsburn mine at Rookhope in County Durham, is one of the top three most sought after localities in Weardale, due to its rare colour and superb optical properties.  Admittedly, this specimen has many broken faces and faces whose growth has been constrained against adjacent minerals, although one almost complete cube nestles within this cluster, measuring 3.3 x 3.0 x 2.8 cm.  The entire ex-matrix cluster of Fluorite is the exquisite lilac-mauve colour for which Boltsburn gets its reputation and, in the main, has near perfect transparency, verging on gemmy.  An incomplete yet terrific example of Fluorite from Boltsburn, with a smattering of micro-crystals of orange-tan Siderite on some faces.