Fluorapatite

A fabulous small cabinet specimen of snow-white hexagonal Fluorapatite crystals overgrowing iron stained rusty Cleavelandite Feldspar and tiny glassy Quartz crystals from Greenwood, Oxford County, Maine, USA. We seldom see specimens from the gem pegmatites of Maine, so this is a real treat. The Greenwood district hosts many pegmatite quarries and this could be from any of them, but perhaps the specific location might be known by a local expert. Some of the more famous quarries in Greenwood include the Emmons, Harvard, Tamminen and Waisanen. The Fluorapatite forms thin perfect hexagonal tabular crystals up to 9 mm wide between flats. All crystals are pure white and around their narrow edges exhibit a silky lustre with a central dark colour zone. Beautiful!