Gold

For years, collectors have admired the superb, beautiful crystallized skeletal Gold specimens from the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, specifically those from the Alta Floresta district, which is on the northern end, near the border with the state of Para. These NEW specimens come from the southwestern corner of Mato Grosso, near the Bolivian border at a locality called Serra do Caldeirao. The form is different from the Alta Floresta pieces, and frankly, the crystallization, color and luster are superior to virtually anything we've seen from Brazil. The first thing that I noticed about these Golds is the rich yellow gold color, probably from a small amount of copper content. Most of the specimens from Serra do Caldeirao are skeletal in form, and show various crystal habits ranging from octahedrons to dodecahedrons to tetrahexahedrons, etc.

This piece is from a find in 2015 and features markedly sharp, very well-formed crystals (mostly dodecahedral in habit). These crystals all seem to have a bit of skeletal "hoppering" and are arranged into somewhat parallel growth formations like tight arborescent branching tree limbs. Up close, the piece is gorgeous, and the best crystals become even more beautiful under magnification. This hue is, to me, such a pleasing color for Gold, and reminds me of some California Golds with their rich almost "orange" coloration. Additionally, the crystallization is out of this world and the sheer brilliance of the luster on this piece is top notch.

Rarely does one see Gold specimens with such notable shimmering luster in addition to the fine crystallization and rich color. This piece weighs 3.18 grams, and make no mistake, for the size and quality, this is some of the most impressive, crystallized Gold in the world.

Specimen Weight: 3.18 grams

Specimen # WWMIX111901