Fluorite
Pike Lane, Winster, Derbyshire Dales District, Derbyshire, England, UK
Dimensions: 6.0 x 4.4 x 2.6 cm
Provenance: Steve Uttley Collection; ex K. C. Dalby Collection; Alan's Quality Minerals, Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Original collection and dealer labels included. Uttley's 1989 Pike Lane article is one of the principal references for this locality- "Pike Lane Opencut, Winster Moor, Derbyshire” in the UK Journal of Mines & Minerals, Issue 7 (1989).
An attractive and highly textured Fluorite specimen from the Pike Lane Opencut near Winster, Derbyshire, England. Purple Fluorite occurs abundantly across the specimen as numerous intergrown cubic crystals ranging from pale lavender to deeper violet. Larger cubes project prominently from the matrix, while countless smaller crystals line cavities and coat the irregular surfaces, giving the specimen considerable depth and visual complexity.
The Fluorite is accompanied by areas of sparkling colorless to white crystalline material, producing a strong contrast against the purple crystals. Some of the Fluorite displays subtle zoning and varying translucency, with lustrous faces catching flashes of violet and blue under direct illumination.
Pike Lane is a lesser-seen Derbyshire locality compared with the famous mines of the Northern Pennines, making the specimen particularly appealing as a British locality piece. Fluorite from Pike Lane is documented in both pale-purple and yellow crystals, along with baryte and a suite of secondary lead minerals.
