Large Bright Orange “Mango” Calcite Twin Double-Terminated Crystal, Xiangyang, Hubei, China

This is from a find at a private claim in Xiangyang prefecture, Hubei, China. The locality was once said to be Tongling prefecture in Anhui province but later amended to Xiangyang prefecture in Hubei province as more local dealers got involved. This find features large twinned calcites with very bright orange color that is more vibrant in person. These gemmy crystals grow on layers of sandstones, making it very hard to preserve the matrix. They are sold under the name of “mango calcite” in the Chinese market because the color and the formation make them look a lot like mangos.