Tucson 2009 Specimens
Alkali Silicon Hexafluoride
(Na,K)₂SiF₆

Florida Dealer Isaias Casanova was selling these rather interesting "specimens" (?) Isais is getting help from a number of folks as well as the Florida Geological Survey to help identify the chemistry of this precipitate which occurs as a result of mining activity.  Tom Moore of the Mineralogical Record wrote them up for What's New in Minerals, so watch the MR site for his update.  I picked up several of these "oddities" and have posted them below.  Personally, I really like them and think they're much better in person than my humble photographs portray.  A couple of the specimens display two distinct generations of deposition. Enjoy!

	Alkali Silicon Hexafluoride Specimen #ASH01 Bone Valley Phosphate Mining District near Bartow Polk County Florida 4.8 x 4.4 x 2.7cm Large Miniature $35 This specimen is made up of numerous blocky crystals with smaller crystals growing on  larger ones.

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	Alkali Silicon Hexafluoride Specimen #ASH02 Bone Valley Phosphate Mining District near Bartow Polk County Florida 6.4 x 4.2 x 2.2cm Small Cabinet $125 This specimen is made up of two generations of the precipitate.  A generation of clear, somewhat prismatic blocky crystals and a branching habit, making for a very attractive specimen.

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	Alkali Silicon Hexafluoride Specimen #ASH03 Bone Valley Phosphate Mining District near Bartow Polk County Florida 6.6 x 5.2 x 4.3cm Small Cabinet $150 This specimen is made up of numerous large blocky crystals with smaller crystals growing alongside the larger ones.   Perfect terminations on the larger crystals.

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	Alkali Silicon Hexafluoride Specimen #ASH04 Bone Valley Phosphate Mining District near Bartow Polk County Florida 5.1 x 4.7 x 3.2cm Small Cabinet $125 This specimen is made up of two generations of the precipitate.  A generation of clear, somewhat prismatic blocky crystals and a branching habit, making for a very attractive specimen.   This is my favorite of the bunch.