Calcite

This magnificent large cabinet specimen of interlocking Calcite blades is of museum-quality and from the famous mining region around Dal'negorsk in the Far-Eastern Region of Russia.  Dal'negorsk is renowned for its Calcites and the seemingly endless variety of habits it adopts in this district.  This spectacular specimen is the Calcite analogue to a desert rose, with massive, curved crystals to 14 cm across and 7 cm tall at their apex.  The plates taper towards their termination, forming a razor-sharp, knife-like curved blade, highlighted by a particularly glassy, reflective high-lustre edge.  The plates are pure milky-white and grade from translucent across most of the crystal faces to an opaque core from which the blades emanate.  The specimen is damage-free and sits perfectly on a flat stable base.  Under LWUV the Calcite fluoresces quite bright, reddish-peachy-orange whereas under SWUV, the fluorescence subdues to an ethereal pale peachy-orange.  A sensational Calcite from Dal'negorsk that will make a wonderful addition to any great collection.