A statement tower in orange calcite, polished to carry the colour from base to tip.
Calcite builds more of the world than almost any other mineral. Limestone is calcite. So is marble, and chalk, and the shell of every stalactite in every cave, and the white cliffs at Dover. It is the mineral that most of the planet's carbonate rock is made from, which makes a polished tower of it an unusually ordinary thing presented in an unusually deliberate way.
Mineral: Calcite (calcium carbonate, CaCO₃)
Crystal system: Trigonal
Origin: Mexico
Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale; soft, and scratched by most things harder than a fingernail
Treatment: None
Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.3 x 21 cm
Weight: 2.105 kg
Note: Calcite is soft at 3 on the Mohs scale and reacts to acid, so keep household cleaners away from it. Vinegar, lemon juice and most limescale removers will etch the polish. Dust it dry
You will receive the exact piece photographed.