The colour of this marvellous Fluorite crystal from Milpo mine in the remote Atacocha mining district in Peru is quite different to the majority from the new find. It also displays an unusual zonation in colour. This wonderful miniature specimen is really well-crystallized, featuring a superb, 3 cm wide, stepped pyramidal (octahedral) Fluorite crystal, but two of the lower faces are cleavage surfaces. Because the angle of cleavage is very similar to that of the octahedral crystal plane these fracture planes are not immediately obvious. On the upper display faces, the lower sections of the pyramidal faces are covered in tiny 'stepped' Fluorite crystals, producing an appearance like an ancient pyramid, but the uppermost section around the termination is smooth and glassy. This is what produces the effect of colour-zoning: the stepped areas appearing paler green in comparison to the glassy termination. Looking down on the pyramidal point from above provides an even more pronounced effect. The somewhat insipid green Fluorite is set-off nicely alongside the small golden Pyrite crystals on Quartz to which it is attached. Milpo mine has recently come to the attention of mineral collectors because of the beautiful vibrant green Fluorite crystals many of which are cubo-octahedral in form and associated with golden Pyrite. To find a lovely crystal such as this, with a distinctly different shade of green makes a nice alternative.
