Fluorite

specimen number:
2242020

location:
Annabel Lee Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
A beautiful blue with yellow and purple color zones gemmy fluorite crystal. Gorgeous when backlit, just slight micro-damage present.

The Annabel Lee Mine, located in the Harris Creek District of Hardin County, Illinois, was one of the last major underground operations in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. Geologically, the mine exploited a high-grade vein system hosted within Mississippian limestones, where hydrothermal fluids deposited minerals along the Spar Mountain and Rock Creek fault zones. The site is famous for producing exceptional fluorite specimens, often characterized by sharp, transparent cubic crystals in vibrant shades of purple, yellow, and occasionally "raspberry" red, frequently found in association with barite and sphalerite. Historically, the Annabel Lee was developed by the Ozark-Mahoning Company, with construction and shaft sinking beginning in the early 1980s. The mine officially opened for production in 1984 and remained a significant source of both acid-grade fluorspar and world-class mineral specimens for over a decade. However, due to declining global prices and competition from international markets, the mine ceased operations in late 1995, marking the end of a major era for American fluorspar mining.

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