2.2" Blue, Cubic/Octahedral Fluorite Encrusted Quartz - Inner Mongolia

Blue, Cubic/Octahedral Fluorite Encrusted Quartz - Inner Mongolia #224774

This is a beautiful deep-blue fluorite specimen collected from the Number 4 Mine in the Huanggang Fe-Sn deposit of Inner Mongolia, China. The fluorite crystals have a cubic-octahedral structure to them, a unique characteristic of the fluorite coming from this deposit. The fluorite formed over secondary quartz crystals that entirely encrust the larger primary crystal, reminiscent of cactus quartz.

The "Huanggang Mine" is a complex of seven somewhat interconnected mines located near Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China. Incredible mineral specimens started coming out of this mining complex around 2009. However, the location provided for the specimens was a long ways away from the actual site. This is a practice commonly performed by dealers and miners following a new discovery to try and preserve the mineral site's true location, and/or for political purposes.

As the site's popularity increased, more and more fascinating specimens were popping up on the market. Some of the earlier minerals included world-class ilvaite crystals, pink fluorite octahedrons, hedenbergite-included quartz (many of which were discarded at first), and arsenopyrite. Over the following years, garnets, pink manganoan calcite, gorgeous fluorites, sphalerite, löllingite, borcarite, scheelite, and a variety of other minerals began to surface on the market. To this day, new mineral discoveries are often made in these mines.

A brief description of the mine and minerals from the Huanggang Deposit.

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