Carrollite on Calcite - Kamoto Principal Mine, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the

No, this is not cuprite! - EarthWonders Newsletter #7

specimen
Carrollite on Calcite
SpeciesSize
Comments
Details
ColorsSilver, White
SizeSmall
Dimensions6.5 x 5.9 x 4.5 cm
Description
This is a razor-sharp crystal of carrollite of a complex habit and pristine style found in the late 1990s and brought out to magnificent attention at the Tucson show of that year by the Gobin brothers, who had personally bought them in the Congo (there is a drama to that story, involving guns and speeding cars!) This excellent small cabinet specimen is display and competition quality, with a sharp, well-defined, 2.6 cm tall crystal of the finest quality perched in a matrix of contrasting white calcite. The calcite is not all crystallized per se, but it occurs as sharp cleavages that look much like crystal faces, mixed with some actual full calcite faces (the front-facing calcite is a natural pocket growth face, for example). The carrollite grew into the open pocket and is embedded in that face. This habit shows off textbook faces, perfectly. It is from the "glory pocket" of the late 1990s (1998 or 1999). Comes with a custom base
Known provenanceKnowing where your specimen comes from and who owned it adds to its story and value. Good provenance helps prove it's authentic and preserves important details about its discovery.
Unknown owner
Purchase
Richardson, Texas, USA

Unknown previous owners

Earth

Origin