Quartz with Pyrite and Calcite

Pyrite and Calcite coat a remarkably fine group of large Quartz crystals to form a stunning large cabinet specimen from the historic mines at Cavnic in Maramureș County, Romania. Cavnic was one of Europe’s most famous mining regions with records dating back to the early 1300’s. Like so many famous mining districts, all activity has now ceased, the last mine having closed in 2008. Five dominant translucent milky white Quartz crystal rise sub-vertically from a completely hidden core of Quartz matrix, with five much smaller yet similar Quartz crystals distributed around the specimen. Some of these crystals, especially the largest, taper slightly towards their bases and are what is sometime termed ‘candle quartz’, with multiple crystals surrounding the prism faces giving the appearance to solidified wax drips. The largest Quartz crystal is 10 cm tall and about 5 cm broad at its widest point. Forming a mound between the larger Quartz crystals is a dome of colourless acicular Quartz needles interspersed with bright metallic gold Pyrite crystals as complex modified and striated elongated cubes. The entire specimen is preferentially coated with snow white Calcite crystals of just a few millimetres on edge, suggesting the specimen as a whole sat with the large Quartz crystals aligned horizontally. At least two of the large Quartz crystal terminations become colourless and clear, verging on gemmy. Without doubt, a superb specimen from Cavnic. This specimen comes with a custom made clear acrylic base/stand, with a milled contoured recess and vertical acrylic rests.