Szenicsite (type locality) with Cuprian Powellite

Unknown Owner

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A rich cabinet specimen chock full of numerous blades of Szenicsite with brilliant green color and superb adamantine luster that is so classic for this species. This copper molybdate is not only beautiful, but very rare, with one and only one find ever! There are several dozen electric green Szenicsite crystals and subhedral, lamellar crystal sections to an amazing 3 cm across distributed within and around this large matrix specimen along with minor amounts of green-tinted (cuprian), gemmy Powellite crystals (rare, in their own!). This specimen is the largest I have seen come up for sale in perhaps 25 years! Szenicsite is exceptionally rare species which was found only once in a SINGLE, erratic approx-1-meter-pocket by field collector Terry Szenics at the Jardinera No. 1 Mine in Chile. He brought these to market in the mid-90s and none have been found since. Rarely is a new mineral species discovered in large, gorgeous, colorful crystals like this as most are generally tiny crystals with muted colors. It is an important, museum-quality rarity in museum size. Better in person as the combination of color and metallic luster is hard to convey. The shine is like dragonfly scales, a metallic green. Ex. Chester Lemanski collection, purchased directly from the discoverer Terry Szenics in 2005, from his personal collection long after the bulk material had been sold out. 820 grams.