Otavite

Unknown Owner

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Otavite, a cadmium carbonate, is one of the rarest species that the great Tsumeb Mine is famous for, and it is also the Type Locality. They came out of the first oxidation zone circa 1900, and real ones have not been seen since (although the internet has proclaimed a few different styled and newer finds, I have yet to see them verified analytically as anything more than dolomite). This is a very subtle, important, and rare combination thumbnail. The Otavite is in bright white crusts and white microcrystals, visible around the specimen. In combination, there are small amounts of glassy Azurite microcrystals and other species. A fine, choice rarity with a good provenance. Scott Williams sold this to Kay and gave the provenance as follows (with labels): JB Nichols sold in about 1952 to a Dr Foster, and then it passed on to Jean Hamel in California.