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Wavellite

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Sparkling green radiating crystal groupings of wavellite to almost 1.5 cm in diameter across the top of a black meta-chert matrix. In great condition.The County Pit, located on Mauldin Mountain near Silver in Montgomery County, Arkansas, is a premier locality for wavellite situated within the Ouachita Mountains. Geologically, the deposit is found in the Mississippian-aged Stanley Shale and the underlying Arkansas Novaculite, where intense folding and fracturing of the sedimentary layers provided channels for phosphate-rich hydrothermal fluids. The site is famous for producing exceptional wavellite specimens that occur as spherical, radiating "sunburst" aggregates on fracture surfaces, typically exhibiting a vibrant apple-green to forest-green color, though yellow and colorless varieties are also present. Historically, mining and quarrying at the County Pit were primarily for road construction materials, as the fractured chert and shale were ideal for surfacing local roads. Mineral specimen recovery became a significant secondary activity during the mid to late 20th century, with peak production of world-class collector pieces occurring between the 1960s and the 1990s.

Product details

SpeciesWavellite
SizeCabinet
Dimensions12.0 x 9.0 x 4.0 cm
Added on05/23/2026
Current owner
Unknown Owner
Acquired
May 2026
Price paid
$245.00
Previous owners
DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Weinrich MineralsNot disclosed

Learn more

Wavellite
Mineral guide
Learn about Wavellite
radiating starburst crystals in apple- to emerald-green; prized in Arkansas, Devon, Pennsylvania, and Turkey for color, form, and matrix displays.
Wavellite
Regional guide
Wavellite from Mauldin Mountain
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Locality guide
Mauldin Mountain
A collector's guide to Mauldin Mountain, USA: its geology, mining history and notable minerals, illustrated with the 50 specimens documented from this locality on EarthWonders.