AP03 Calcite on Quartz

Boldut Mine, Cavnic, Marmures Co., Romania
14.4x 10.2x 5.8 cm

$650

A cabinet specimen hosting multiple ball-shaped aggregates of calcite on a plate of quartz crystals.  

When I started collecting in the mid-1990's, Romanian minerals were as common as the similar Bulgarian or Peruvian specimens are today.  

With Romania's entrance the EU in 2007 however, the main specimen producing mines (and many others) were forced to close as they were not compatible with EU regulations.  Even for some years before that, output had been decreased,  These days the specimens are still seen for sale, just not as often as before, as the mines are sealed shut.