Back in the day, it was thought that Molybdenite was Graphite or a lead ore. Molybdenite occurs in lustrous, metallic-looking crystals that can be easily moved and bent out of shape. I could easily bend this specimen into a different shape if I wanted to. It has perfect cleavage in one direction and is often flaky, allowing thin crystals to be “peeled” similar to the micas, this means careful handling is a must.

I acquired this specimen from Greg at Blue Gems at the 2013 Central Coast Gem Festival.