Fluorite on Calcite Matrix - Perfect Cube - Dalnegorsk

This outstanding fluorite specimen originates from the famed Nikolaevskiy Mine, Dalnegorsk, Primorsky Krai, Russia, one of the world’s most respected historic sources of sharply formed cubic fluorite. The piece carries impeccable provenance, having come from the distinguished collection of Al and Sue Liebetrau, and represents classic Russian material mined during the late Soviet era (1980s) and released to the Western market primarily in the 1990s. At the heart of the specimen is a single, complete, pale sea-green cubic fluorite crystal, measuring approximately 3.5 cm, exhibiting absolutely perfect edges, razor-sharp corners, and full cubic integrity—a level of preservation that is exceptionally difficult to find. The crystal is fully intact on all faces, with no damage or restoration, and displays a clean, highly reflective surface. Transparency is remarkable: the fluorite is sufficiently clear that both types of underlying matrix—thin fluorite shards and crystalline, snow-white calcite cement—are visible directly through the cube. This transparency, combined with the crystal’s immaculate geometry, creates a striking visual purity rarely achieved in fluorite of this size. The crystal is perfectly perched atop a delicate assemblage of matrix shards, achieving textbook balance and composition. Subtle silvery metallic inclusions, likely galena, ranging from approximately 0.3 to 2 mm, are suspended within the crystal and add character without detracting from its clarity. Internally, the piece shows only a faint diagonal cleavage trace and a few barely perceptible internal crazes—entirely typical and inconsequential for fluorite—while remaining externally flawless. Measuring 8.1 × 7.0 × 5.6 cm (small cabinet size), this specimen exemplifies the aesthetic ideals of classic Russian fluorite: complete cubic form, pristine edges, excellent transparency, and elegant isolation on matrix. It is a superlative representative of historic Dalnegorsk material and an ideal centerpiece for an advanced fluorite or classic locality collection.