Very distinctive group of Calcite crystals, with the characteristic Quartz sand inclusions typical of the so-called 'Fontainebleau Calcites', associated with a striking globular 'gogotte'-type formation that dominates the specimen and gives it a very unusual appearance.
Also noteworthy is the precision of the locality, Bonnevault Quarry, an uncommon level of detail for specimens generally attributed simply to Fontainebleau, and which in this case has been possible to establish thanks to the specimen's pedigree, from the collection of Daniel Leroy.
Geologically, these Calcites formed in the Fontainebleau Sands, an Oligocene sandy formation of the Paris Basin. The Calcite crystallized later within these sediments, incorporating abundant Quartz sand grains during its growth and forming the characteristic sandy crystals and concretions of the area.
Bonnevault Quarry, Larchant, Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France France
Specimen size: 6.4 × 6.2 × 4.8 cm = 2.52” × 2.44” × 1.89”
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