🌌🥰 Hematite cluster from Florence Mine, West Cumberland Iron Field, Cumbria, England. I had to share this cluster with you, because it’s as interesting a locality as it is a beautiful specimen. Lustrous hematite platelets sparkle over the surface of a textured red kidney ore plate, punctuated by tiny quartz crystals. The complex of iron mines that produced this cluster was responsible for the Iron Age of Britain, and produced collectors specimens for over 300 years. Florence Mine was the last operating iron mine in England when it finally closed. This locality is famous for its “lunchbox specimens”, which miners smuggled out and eventually ended up at local establishments through trade; in fact, some of the earliest Cumberland collections were on display at local bars in the area! It’s a fascinating locality, and I finally got to adopt this killer specimen for my own collection. NFS—found at El Loro in Boulder. 🌌🥰 #hematite #Cumberland #cumbria #england #florencemine #hematiterose #kidneyore #sparkle #midnight #metallicminerals #mineralogy #classiclocality #mineralcollection #nfs #mineralhistory #iron #heavymetal #crystallove #minerallove #naturalhistory #mininghistory #phenomenalgems #etsy #etsyshop #etsycrystals https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0Q6n5Hnxo/?igshid=1t3u74yvbgli9
