If you like specimens that are a little different to the norm, then this one might catch your eye. The matrix is a lovely bed of terminated prismatic Quartz crystals grading from Milky to Rock Crystal upon which sits a 'nest' of lustrous, resinous, light bronzed-tan prismatic Pyromorphite crystals in sub-parallel growth. It is from the Black Pine mine in the John Long Mountains of Montana, USA. Pyromorphite was well-known from the mine, but specimens are seldom seen in collections. This could be a reflection of the fact that the mine is better known for its world class copper phosphates such as Veszelyite and that some of the other minerals got overlooked. The Pyromorphite forms long acicular crystals up to 1.5 cm in length in a jumbled tangle over an area of 5.7 x 2.5 cm, to one side of the milky Quartz bed. A most unusual, but attractive, cabinet-sized display specimen of American Pyromorphite.
