What you have seen are the cleaved octahedrons of fluorite. Fluorite has what is known as perfect cleavage in four directions. This allows people to easily remove corners of crystals to make perfect octahedrons. These are then referred to a crystal fragments and not true crystals.
The crystal form is cubic. Calcite would be rhombic and nowhere near as glassy as these are. There is also no recorded occurrence of blue calcite from Illinois with violet phantoms...Did not get gyped as you put it.
What you have seen are the cleaved octahedrons of fluorite. Fluorite has what is known as perfect cleavage in four directions. This allows people to easily remove corners of crystals to make perfect octahedrons. These are then referred to a crystal fragments and not true crystals.
johntveev 2 years ago
those look far more like calcite rhombs than fluorite. Hope you didn't get gyped.
TheCaptainLulz 2 years ago
Hi
The crystal form is cubic. Calcite would be rhombic and nowhere near as glassy as these are. There is also no recorded occurrence of blue calcite from Illinois with violet phantoms...Did not get gyped as you put it.
johntveev 2 years ago
Cool! Ive only ever seen them as octahedrons so I was assuming that was their structure. beautiful sample!
TheCaptainLulz 2 years ago