Fluorite

Larkin's quarry remained a totally unknown mineral locality until 2016 when blasting opened up magnificently mineralised veins of remarkable Fluorite, propelling this locality in County Galway, Ireland, to an instant classic!  The quarry exploits the Shannapheasteen Granite Pluton and has produced magnificent specimens in purples, blues and greens of various hues and complex habits.  This is a beautifully coloured small cabinet specimen of vibrant light lime green and watery lavender-blue Fluorite, composed of three intergrown cubes, the largest measuring 4.5 cm on edge.  Each crystal exhibits three cubic faces on the display side, with their three corresponding opposite faces missing on the back of the specimen where it has been cleaved.  The cubic crystals show various degrees of modification to the octahedron in the form of bevelled corners.  Each crystal is also colour zoned lime green and lavender-sky blue, the latter defining first stage octahedral crystals and the latter, later stage overgrowths of epitaxially aligned cubic habit.  The faces are pitted due to shallow natural etching, so producing a greasy lustre.  A gorgeous specimen of this modern classic.