Fluorite

specimen number:
8311342

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

description:
A pale yellowish, this with accented purple coloration, cubic crystal grouping of fluorite without matrix. This is crystallized completely all around. Very minimal cleaving present, overall in good condition.

The Elmwood complex, consisting of the Elmwood, Gordonsville, and Cumberland mines, is a premier North American locality for world-class fluorite specimens. Geologically, these crystals formed within the Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposits of the Knox Group, where mineralizing fluids filled large solution cavities in the limestone and dolostone. The fluorite from this complex is highly distinctive, often occurring as sharp cubic crystals that exhibit a magnificent color range from deep, saturated purple to transparent honey-yellow, frequently displaying beautiful color zoning. In addition to these vibrant fluorites, the complex is famous for its metallic black sphalerite, lustrous galena cubes, and snowy white barite. The site is also renowned for producing large, amber-colored calcite scalenohedrons that are often found perched aesthetically on the darker sulfide minerals. Historically, while the primary focus of the Elmwood complex remains the industrial extraction of zinc, the discovery of these diverse and high-quality mineral associations has made it one of the most iconic localities for collectors and mineralogists worldwide.

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