Fluorite
Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China
11.6 x 12.0 x 4.5 cm
“The Heart of Yaogangxian”

Our entrance into the scene of high-end mineral dealing began with this specimen, which has been coined "The Heart of Yaogangxian" due to its heart-like appearance, and being from the famous Yaogangxian Mine in China.

From Andrew K. Ford

            "I remember when I first saw this piece, it was on a very large dealer's Instagram page, and I was about 14 or so. The piece was well out of my price range, but I had a gut feeling about it. A few months went by, and I kept finding myself scrolling back to the page to admire it once again. Finally, I reached out, and committed to the piece with a very generous payment plan offered to me by a legendary dealer. When I finally held the piece in-hand, I was entranced. It had captivated me in a way that taught me to appreciate aesthetics in minerals in an entirely new way. I immediately began to refer to it as 'The Heart of Yaogangxian.' I knew this piece was my beginning." 

This iconic heart shaped Fluorite is truly amazing and exhibits a remarkable aesthetic. This specimen is of substantial size and makes a bold statement in any collection. The Yaogangxian mine has been producing some of the most prominent Fluorite (and other mineral) deposits in the recent years. Additionally, the two isolated and perfectly terminated Chalcopyrite crystals included in the bottom-left side of the piece are simply amazing. This piece is now in an elite Fluorite collection.

Photograph by Kevin Miller