Fluorite

specimen number:
2102143

location:
Denton Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
A cluster of deep blue highly translucent in color zoned cubic fluorite crystals with minor sphalerite present on the backside. Some damage is present, this still in good condition. Beautiful when backlit as shown at the end of the video and in the picture.

The Denton Mine, located in Hardin County, Illinois, was a major operation within the world-famous Cave-in-Rock Fluorspar District. Geologically, it is a Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit where fluorine-rich hydrothermal fluids replaced Mississippian-age limestone beds, specifically within the St. Genevieve and Renault formations, to create high-grade replacement ore bodies. Historically, the mine began development in the late 1970s and was officially opened by the Ozark-Mahoning Company in 1980. It operated during the final golden era of Illinois fluorspar production until its closure in 1994 when the domestic industry succumbed to global economic pressures. The Denton Mine is celebrated for producing some of the finest fluorite specimens in the world, characterized by sharp cubic crystals with exceptional clarity and vibrant zoning in shades of yellow, purple, and blue. These specimens are often found associated with well-crystallized barite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite, making them centerpiece items for museums and private collections globally.

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