HMT01 Henmilite
Fuka mine, Fuka, Bicchu-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, Chugoku Region, Honshu Island, Japan
6.9x 2.8x 1.4 cm
$20
A beautiful and very rich example of very rare henmilite, from the type locality in Japan. This piece features larger than average crystals, and the white matrix beautifully contrasts with the inky violet blue color of the henmilite crystals.
Henmilite is a rare borate that was first approved in 1981, discovered in a mine that operated primarily to collect calcium carbonate for use in toothpaste. This piece (and pretty much all others you are likely to see) come from a 2004 find made by members of a Japanese mineral club that had been allowed to collect in the mine. Today these samples are exceedingly rare, and even micros are somewhat expensive-- for the amount of henmilite on this piece (and the size of the crystals) the price is actually pretty good!
