Legrandite

Should you ever be unsure just which of Mexico’s many famous mines Ojuela is, it’s the one with the scary-looking suspension footbridge! Crossing a deep gorge, one end of the bridge provides access to the adit portal emerging from a sheer vertical cliff face. Enough of the bridge and down to business with this lovely miniature Legrandite, a rare zinc arsenate. The Legrandite forms superb, gemmy to translucent acidic lemon yellow crystals over what looks like a micro-botryoidal druse of apricot Mimetite crystals, but is probably limonite-coated Quartz. The Legrandite crystals measure up to 5 mm long and have a bright glassy lustre.