Descloizite

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When one thinks of world-class large crystallized Descloizite you could bet on nearly everyone mentioning Berg Aukus mine, but how many would say Olifantsfontein mine? Situated to the north of Grootfontein and some 18 miles west-northwest of Berg Aukus, Olifantsfontein's mining history is hard to trace but is probably on a par with the equally enigmatic Abenab mine 15 miles to the northeast. Very few specimens are seen in collections from either mine and those that are, usually date to the 1920s to the 1950s. This fine, wonderfully intact small cabinet-sized aggregate of distinctly 'chunky' resinous dark 'cola' brown Descloizite crystals from Olifantsfontein mine comes from the Martin Kershaw Collection (no. 190). Underneath the larger crystals, are smaller Descloizite crystals with burnt-orange internal cores and around the edges of the specimen a few of the larger crystals show unusual olive-green colouration perhaps indicative of the high copper and molybdenum-content reported here. A quite distinctive and rare locality Descloizite.