Vanadinite

Unknown Owner

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The Leadhills-Wanlockhead orefield is one of Britain's iconic mineral localities and is type locality to ten species. Vanadinite is found at several localities within this orefield and usually (yet not always) forms tine spheres and hemispheres, in this specimen as 1 mm diameter spheres of translucent buttery lemon yellow. Viewed under low magnification, each sphere is built from sub-parallel blades; these forming ridges across their sphere's surfaces. Covering a russet to tangerine orange and sandy coloured matrix, the contrast between Vanadinite and matrix is most attractive. I have not counted the spheres, but there must be a good few dozen. This small cabinet specimen comes with a Bryce M. Wright (36, Gt. Russell St., London) label, one of Britain's most famous Victorian mineral dealers.