Calcite

specimen number:
1052662

location:
Rabenstein, Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany

description:
Colorless translucent lustrous rhombohedral crystals of calcite measuring to 3.0 cm in size covering the top of matrix. Fine old time piece, the specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This label provides in acquisition date of 1904. Brightly fluorescent red under longwave ultraviolet light.

The Rabenstein district, located on the western outskirts of Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany, is a historic locality renowned for its underground limestone quarrying and diverse calcite formations. Geologically, the deposit consists of an isolated lens of Devonian-age marbleized limestone nestled within the surrounding metamorphic schists of the Erzgebirge margin. This limestone body was subjected to tectonic stress and hydrothermal activity, leading to the development of cavities and fissures lined with various calcite habits, including the famous "paper spar" and translucent rhombohedral crystals. Historically, mining and quarrying at Rabenstein began as early as 1375 to produce lime for agriculture and construction, with the transition to extensive underground room-and-pillar mining occurring in the 18th century. The operations reached their industrial peak during the 19th century under the ownership of the local manor, but commercial extraction finally ceased in 1908 due to the high costs of water management and the depletion of easily accessible stone.

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