Anglesite from Namibia, Oshikoto Region, Tsumeb

Anglesite (Blue)

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region,

Namibia

3.8 × 2.6 × 2.2cm

ex. Fritz Dietz, Chris Amo

Alan Fertel Personal Collection

While Anglesite was a common secondary mineral found at Tsumeb, Anglesite with this sky blue hue was reportedly only found once.

According to Charlie Key, this "blue pocket" was found in the 1970's in the first oxidation zone on level 7. As the buyer of the entire pocket, the story goes that the pocket was no larger than a basketball.

Regardless of accuracy, blue Anglesite from Tsumeb were extremely rare, and good specimens are difficult to find on the market today.

This specimen is in excellent condition with beautifully terminated spear-tipped crystals. It is as prominently blue as have been found. The blue is likely from the presence of copper or a copper rich mineral as the association of Anglesite with native copper was widely reported on levels 7 to 9. Additional information suggests that the blue is a result of Thometzekite, a rare secondary mineral that belongs to the tsumcorite group, and is a hydrated lead copper zinc arsenate.