Native Gold Crystal. Icabarú. Bolívar. Venezuela. ...

Description

Native Gold Crystal
Icabarú
Bolívar
Venezuela

The most important attribute to mention about this truly outstanding singular specimen is that, simply put, it is believed to be THE largest non-wire SINGLE Gold crystal in the world. Weighing 217.78 grams (7.00 oz t), this is, actually, exceptionally large as 99 percent of all Gold crystals are under 1 troy ounce, not to mention that only 1 percent of all Gold occurs in crystal form! Acquired by the current owner on September 14, 1987, who was immersed in collecting Gold from the Roraima Shield (Gran Sabana) of Venezuela, this world-class piece literally almost must be seen to be believed.

The large and important specimen is structurally a skeletal octahedron with excellent definition of the intricate crystalline forms. Sharp edges and well-terminated faces characterize this geometric wonder that is in virtually pristine condition - extremely unusual for any alluvial specimen, where destructive forces tend to round edge and reduce definition. The intense luster indicates a very high purity of the Gold content. The golden-yellow hopper crystal is naturally artistic, complex, and extremely elegant.

Such crystals of larger size were initially studied for structure and atomic arrangement by noted and renowned Mineralogist John Rakovan at Miami University of Ohio in conjunction with his colleagues Heinz Nakotte and Sven Vogel at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Neutron Science Center. Their conclusion, of course, was that the samples were verified as single crystals. Whereas an X-ray diffraction technology was not sufficient to solve the puzzle of the experimentation, Neutron diffractometry did allow Ravokan and his colleagues to 'look inside' the center of the crystals to determine crystallinity.

This landmark specimen of world notoriety has been widely accepted well before the scientific process that confirmed it in 2014. In 1998, this seminal Gold crystal appeared on the covers of two significant industry publications, Lapis Mineralin Magazin and Rivista Mineralogica Italiana. The piece is not only widely known but is also widely accepted. This example has been "newsworthy" for multiple decades.

The Native Gold Crystal has been appraised for as much as $1,500,000 as far back as 2015. The piece itself is visually spectacular and looks duly impressive from both sides, and every angle, as the complex nature of the sublime form, is nothing short of artistic mastery. The layered aspect of the Gold Crystal makes this substantial piece something more unique, rarer, and more special than virtually any of the other specimen Golds likely to be seen in collections, institutions, and, surely, not for sale or auction. This specimen has been shown at the Houston Museum of Nature and Science and examined by the best personalities in the mineral community. It has taken over 30 years for this to become available to the public.
Measurements: 2.08 x 1.72 x 0.99 x inches (5.28 x 4.37 x 2.52 cm), weighs 217.78 grams (7.00 oz t)

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