Ludlockite

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Ludlockite, an exceptionally rare lead iron arsenate species, is one of the most famous of the ultimate collectors species known from Tsumeb mine. Discovered there in the 1960s it was named after Frederick Ludlow Smith III and Charles Locke Key the two American mineral dealers who provided the material for study. This remarkable matrix specimen is phenomenal in size and has presumably survived intact so long as it was preserved within the generations-old Weyand Collection held within Tsumeb. Usually, Ludlockite is usually seen as matrixless clumps of orange coloured acicular or fibrous crystals stored in plastic boxes, rather than on matrix, which allows the geological context to be appreciated. This specimen is small cabinet in size and features a 1.2 cm wide cavity richly invested with orange to red-brown acicular Ludlockite crystals to 8 mm in length. The matrix is a dark grey to purple-grey sulphide which is most likely Germanite. It is very rare that such a large and displayable specimen from the Type Locality of both Ludlockite and Germanite is available.