Shattuckite ps Dioptase

Unknown Owner

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Shattuckite is a relatively rare copper silicate that seldom forms good crystals. Here, the Shattuckite has formed as a replacement of preexisting Dioptase crystals resulting in a pseudomorph, or replacement, of the original Dioptase. In this piece, a large mound of previously existing Dioptase crystals shows that the Shattuckite replacement has faithfully preserved the crystal shape of the Dioptase perfectly. In fact, one broken crystal shows the the interior to still have some Dioptase intact and exhibits partial alteration to Shattuckite. This large, display-sized specimen has dozens of sharp crystals in excess of 1 cm in 3-dimensional clusters on matrix. Remnant Dioptase is still present in some places, especially on the bottom of the piece. A few patches of Chrysocolla are also present. This is from the 2010-2011 finds at the Tantara Mine and it's only one of a small handful of specimens I have seen that even remotely approach this level of quality. I have not seen anything of this quality, since.