Cassiterite with Fluorite

specimen number:
2262117

location:
Cornwall, England, UK

description:
A fine old Cornish classic with lustrous crystals of cassiterite measuring to 1.0 cm in size across the top of matrix with purple masses of fluorite. Some damage as shown, the prominent crystals are in good condition. Neat combination piece for this area.

Cornwall, located on the southwestern peninsula of England, is a world-renowned tin mining region characterized by the Cornubian Batholith, a series of late-Paleozoic granitic intrusions. Geologically, the area features high-temperature hydrothermal veins, locally known as lodes, that formed as the granite cooled and fractured, allowing mineral-rich fluids to deposit cassiterite, the primary ore of tin. Cassiterite occurs in these veins as heavy, adamantine crystals ranging from reddish-brown to black, often found in association with quartz, tourmaline, and arsenopyrite within the metamorphic aureole of the granite. Historically, mining and quarrying for tin in Cornwall dates back to the Bronze Age, with alluvial "streaming" for cassiterite preceding deep-shaft mining. The industry saw massive industrial expansion during the 18th and 19th centuries, driven by the development of high-pressure steam engines for pumping water from deep mines such as Dolcoath and Geevor. The collapse of global tin prices led to the closure of the last major active mine, South Crofty, in 1998.

Lawrence Conklin was a world-renowned mineral dealer based in New York City, widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and sophisticated figures in the history of the mineral trade. Operating from his office on 5th Avenue and later from his home in Connecticut, Conklin specialized in "antique" minerals and specimens with significant historical provenance. He was a meticulous researcher and an elegant writer, often publishing articles that corrected historical errors in mineralogical literature. His career spanned over five decades, during which he handled some of the finest known specimens from classic European and American localities, setting a high standard for aesthetic quality and documentation in the field.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.