Mimetite (Type Locality, dated 1821) - image 1

Mimetite (Type Locality, dated 1821) - image 2

Mimetite (Type Locality, dated 1821) - image 3

Mimetite (Type Locality, dated 1821) - image 4

Mimetite (Type Locality, dated 1821)

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One of the rarest of all European and overall scientific mineralogy classics is an exceptional Mimetite from the Type Locality in the Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany. This large miniature is dominated by two complete crystals, in parallel growth,1.5 cm tall. The luster is excellent, and the color gradation is really attractive and eye-catching. This find dates to the early 1800s, and actually is the TYPE LOCALITY for Mimetite. Outstanding aesthetics. This is one of those old classics that you almost never see for sale. Ex. Bloede (German chemist Carl August Bloede - 1821, of Bloedite fame), and Harvard Museum. Kay purchased it from the legendary dealer, Walt Lidstrom, in 1974 at the Lincoln Nebraska show. As to the scientific naming mess, briefly these were classified as Clinomimetite, but the nomenclature was changed back to Mimetite 20 years later. MINDAT: named clinomimetite in 1991 by Yongshan Dai, John M. Hughes, and Paul Brian Moore for its monoCLINic structure and chemical identity with mimetite. Renamed by Pasero et al. (2010) as a polymorph of Mimetite referred to now as Mimetite-M. To me as a collector, that all makes little sense for the back and forth - CLINO sounded reasonable. It is nevertheless, the oldest known confirmed mimetite find!