Fluorite

specimen number:
2102215

location:
Elmwood Mine, Smith Co., Tennessee, USA

description:

A beautiful large cabinet specimen from this famous locality with rosy purple slightly translucent lustrous crystals of fluorite measuring to 5.0 cm in size across the top of a breccia matrix with crystallized dolomite and sphalerite.

The Elmwood Mine, located in Smith County, Tennessee, is globally recognized as one of the premier localities for high-quality mineral specimens. Geologically, it is a Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit hosted within the Lower Ordovician Knox Group, specifically the Mascot Dolomite. The mineralization occurred as hydrothermal fluids filled large solution-collapse breccias and paleokarst cavities, depositing spectacular crystals of fluorite, sphalerite, galena, and calcite, often accompanied by barite. Historically, the mine was opened in 1969 by the New Jersey Zinc Company and began commercial production in the mid-1970s, primarily targeting zinc ore. It has seen various owners, including Pasminco and Nyrstar, and has undergone several periods of closure and reopening due to fluctuating metal prices, notably a significant hiatus in the early 2000s followed by a restart in 2010. While its industrial purpose is zinc extraction, the mine is legendary among collectors for its iconic purple fluorite cubes and lustrous, complex sphalerite crystals that are widely considered some of the best in the world.

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