Aurichalcite and Calcite

Unknown Owner

Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

Here you have one of the most beautiful mineral combinations, that seems almost always to be mislabeled as coming from the Kelly Mine in New Mexico but is in fact from this smaller and less well known location. It is a uniquely beautiful assemblage of two intergrown species that make each other look better for it. This is definitely a two-sided specimen and it is hard to decide which side we like better! One side is somewhat concave with the interior of the "bowl" lined with a myriad of sparkling, pale blue, acicular Aurichalcite crystals that vary between 1 and 3 mm in length. This Aurichalcite bowl is then rimmed by 0.5 to 1 cm, translucent, white Calcite crystals, many of which have overgrown the Aurichalcite and are included by it. The result is Calcites with glowing bluish centers! The obverse side is just covered in sparkling, translucent white Calcite crystals and between the crystals, hints of bluish Aurichalcite are revealed for wonderful effect. All of the Calcites are in excellent condition! The whole piece sparkles with shiny crystals, and the color is bright and open - really something very different. We have seen many of these over the years, only one mediocre specimen in each old collection I have handled, if that. This piece transcends all others but 1 I recall handling, and certainly has to be among the better examples out there. Something unusual - and NOT from the Kelly Mine, where the aurichalcite does not intergrow with fine calcites.