Fluorapatite

specimen number:
1052550

location:
Ehrenfriedersdorf, Saxony, Germany

description:
Classic old German specimen with numerous lustrous tabular purple mostly gemmy crystals of fluorapatite to 1.2 cm in size across the top of matrix. Some damage present as seen, the prominent crystals are in good condition. A good old time piece that comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This dates to the very early 20th century, if not earlier. The fluorapatite crystals are brightly fluorescent under longwave ultraviolet light.

The Ehrenfriedersdorf mining district, located in the Erzgebirge Mountains of Saxony, Germany, is a world-renowned mineralogical site with a history of tin mining dating back to the 13th century. Geologically, the deposit is centered on the Sauberg, where a late-Hercynian granite intrusion created an extensive system of greisen and hydrothermal veins. These veins, which cut through gneiss and schist, are primarily composed of quartz, cassiterite, and wolframite, formed by highly pressurized, fluorine-rich fluids during the final stages of magmatic cooling. Historically, the Sauberg Mine was the industrial heart of the region until its final closure in 1990 following the reunification of Germany. The locality is particularly famous among collectors for its exceptional fluorapatite crystals, which are prized for their intense violet to deep purple color and sharp, tabular or short-prismatic habits. Often found in association with silvery muscovite (variety zinnwaldite) and glassy quartz, these purple apatite specimens are considered some of the finest examples of the species ever found in Europe, representing a classic hallmark of the Saxon Erzgebirge.

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