Fluorite

A striking specimen of fluorite from a relatively recent Madagascar discovery, featuring translucent cubic crystals with an exceptionally deep green colour. Little to no calcite matrix left, the bottom has been sawn. The crystals are more isolated and complete than typically encountered from this locality, displaying sharp cubic form and excellent separation. Some crystal edges and corners appear especially dark.

One of the most fascinating features of this material is its distinct blue dichroism, visible along crystal edges when viewed in direct sunlight. The fluorite also fluoresces a vivid white-blue under ultraviolet light. Madagascar has long been known as a world-class mineral locality, but these fluorites were only discovered in the mid-2010s and quickly became one of the more talked-about finds at Tucson 2018. A colourful and highly aesthetic example from one of the more exciting modern fluorite discoveries.