IMCN1 (Pink!) Fluorite with Genthelvite

Huanggang Mine, Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Co.), Ulanhad League (Chifeng Prefecture), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
17.4x 12.9x 10.9 cm

$4000

A large cabinet specimen, hosting a one inch pink fluorite octahedron, as well as a 2 cm cluster of genthelvite near the base.  The entire specimen is coated with a thick iron rich sludge and numerous decomposing ilvaites, but over this has crystallized a beautiful pink fluorite octahedron.  

This could be trimmed into a more to-the-point fluorite specimen (removing some of the broken ilvaite in the process), but I decided against it given that this is the only specimen I have seen with BOTH genthelvite and fluorite on one piece.  I figured that made it special enough to merit leaving it intact.

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful and exciting things to come from Huanggang yet—pink fluorite!  This combination of habit and color is perhaps the most sought after of the species, and has previously only come from the alps and intermittently from Pakistan.  They are certainly unique for China, a country known mainly for large plates and masses of the mineral, almost always in blues, greens or purples.  In contrast, to those fluorites these have a much more refined and delicate appearance.

Unfortunately, many pieces  were found with a thin hedenbergite coating over the fluorite.  The hedenbergite was easily removed using HF, but it left the fluorites with rough surfaces.  The rough surfaces diffused light giving them a pale appearance, so for what I understand, many of these were heavily oiled.  This piece is not oiled, and does not have the issue of rough surfaces.

  These were sent to me from China about a month before the Munich show, where (from what I have seen online) a few dealers had specimens on display.  According to John Veevaert’s show report, “the average price was about 7,000 euro for an average specimen”…. That’s about $10,000.  I don't know how accurate that is, but in any case, the price here is certainly less than you'd pay at a show.