FLUORAPATITE. Panasqueira Mine, Panasqueira, Covilhã, Castelo Branco District, Portugal. ... (Total: 2 Items)

Description

FLUORAPATITE
Panasqueira Mine, Panasqueira, Covilhã, Castelo Branco District, Portugal

Operating continuously since its discovery in 1898, the Panasqueira Mine has been one of the most prolific sources of Tungsten and, to a lesser degree, Tin that the world has ever seen. This is a BIG ore body. Known mineralization extends for approximately 2.5 kilometers along strike (length) by 400-2,200 meters in width, persisting to at least 500 meters below surface. Although fine specimens have been known virtually from the start, due to the strategic value of Tungsten, collecting has been forbidden for a good portion of the mine's history. Nevertheless, fine specimens continued to trickle out over the years. This is one of the pieces that escaped, sometime before 1971 - there is a label from the collection of Dr. Waddy J. Baroody of Columbia, S. Carolina, dated 1971. The specimen is over 6 inches (16 cm) in size, which makes it larger than most examples from Panasqueira. It sports 25+ light green, hexagonal crystals of tabular form, up to 1.5 inches (3.95 cm) across that pepper the surface of a mixed matrix involving water clear Quartz crystals to 3.0 cm and hordes of tiny Muscovite mica blebs encrusting a Quartz core. The Apatite wafers show some transparency in all of the crystals, and some are completely transparent. Condition is excellent to pristine.
Overall Measurements: 6.65 x 4.33 x 2.4 inches (16.9 x 11.0 x 6.11 cm)
Offered at no reserve.

Provenance: Western Minerals, ex. Waddy J. Baroody Collection [Hoppel #D0850]

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