Hydrocerussite with Datolite

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A great combination of well crystallised Hydrocerussite and clear, glassy Datolite crystals from Torr Works quarry at Cranmore in Somerset, England. An almost circular, creamy white Hydrocerussite crystal nestles in a small cavity in a matrix of black manganese oxides rich in massive Hydrocerussite and more granular Datolite. This dominant Hydrocerussite crystal is about 1 cm diameter and 3 mm wide. Although 3 mm sounds little , in reality this looks quite thick and chunky! Surrounding this is a rich jumble of lustrous and glassy Datolite crystals, of up to about 5 mm and really quite impressive. Datolite is a species seldom encountered in Torr Works collections. I'll just point out that amongst mineral collectors, this quarry is commonly referred to as Merehead quarry, but Torr Works is its actual name. The quarry is massive and still operational, but the zones of rare mineralisation mineralised have now been moved away from!