Rutile Twin, North American Emerald Mine, Hiddenite, Alexander, NC
This lovely crystal presents classic twinning, with superb, long, lustrous, polycrystalline prisms, forming an aesthetic 25 x 8 x 6 mm cluster. Virtually all the primary terminations are complete, but for the base, as exemplified in the macrophotography. The sublime play of light within and through the piece is on account of dissolution channels running through the inside of the prisms. The condition is exceptional for the species at this locality, which is currently closed. The locality has played a significant role in the local mining industry and is well known as one of the only known emerald occurrences in the United States.
