Olmiite, Calcite

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A superb, two-tiered, large cabinet specimen is aesthetically sprinkled with ball-like clusters of lustrous, tan, sharply crystallized, orthorhombic olmiite crystals and rare, single prism crystals of olmiite. The large cluster is 2.0 cm and the longest single crystal is 1.2 cm. A superb accent is the 1.1 cm, flattened calcite twin. The layered hematite matrix gives the complimentary, ultra-sparkly, water-clear calcite crystal coating a distinct lavender tint. Many of the calcite crystals are doubly terminated. Olmiite is the manganese-dominant variant of poldervaartite and is found only at the N'Chwaning II Mine, its type locality now. Olmiite was not named until 2007.