Wenshan calcite cluster — pale cream drusy blades, 311 g

Description

This is a dense cluster of pale cream to translucent Wenshan calcite blades with a sparkly, drusy-looking surface. The crystals are intergrown in a crowded, stacked habit that forms an overall elongated, upright mass with irregular, angular faces and sharp-looking edges; there are minor dark specks on the surface. The specimen is shown mounted on a clear acrylic base. Measurements are H 11 cm × W 6 cm × D 4 cm and the piece weighs 311 g. The blades present as closely packed, plate-like crystals that catch the light across many small faces, producing the drusy appearance noted in the description. Calcite is calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and commonly forms a wide variety of crystal habits and aggregates; specimens from Wenshan are often encountered as blade-like or scalenohedral growths in collections and trade.