Scheelite with Muscovite

specimen number:
2072099

location:
Huya deposit, Mt Xuebaoding, Pingwu Co., Sichuan

description:
an attractive lustrous pseudo-octahedral crystal of scheelite 4.5 cm in size on a muscovite crystal matrix. Sharply formed and in very good condition. Minor colorless beryl is present as well. At one time the specimen was part of the collection of Wolfgang Henkel.

The Huya Deposit, specifically known as the Wutong Mine in Mt. Xuebaoding, is located in Huya Township within the Pingwu County of Sichuan Province, China. Geologically, this world-class mineral locality is a specialized greisen-type tungsten-tin deposit hosted within a high-altitude marble and schist sequence that was intruded by the Late Yanshanian Xuebaoding granite. This unique environment created open miarolitic cavities at an elevation of over 4000 meters, where slow-cooling hydrothermal fluids allowed for the growth of exceptionally large and sharp crystals. Historically, the site was primarily mined for tin and tungsten starting in the late 20th century, but it gained international fame in the 1990s as it began producing some of the most aesthetic mineral specimens ever seen from China.

For mineral collectors, the Huya Deposit is the premier global locality for scheelite, which occurs there in a distinct and highly sought-after habit. Unlike the typical bipyramidal crystals found elsewhere, the Huya scheelites form magnificent, sharp, orange to chocolate-brown pseudo-octahedral crystals that frequently reach sizes of several centimeters. These crystals are often found in aesthetic association with "book-like" clusters of silvery-white muscovite mica, tabular colorless beryl (goshenite), and glassy black cassiterite. The most prized specimens feature a single, lustrous orange scheelite crystal perfectly centered on a matrix of bladed muscovite, creating a striking color contrast. Under short-wave ultraviolet light, these scheelites exhibit a strong, bright sky-blue fluorescence, confirming their high purity and making them a centerpiece for both daylight and fluorescent mineral collections.

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