Veszelyite with CUPROZHESHENGITE

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Sanguozhuang Pb-Zn mine (sometimes referred to as Dongchuan mine) in Dongchuan District, Kunming, Yunnan, China has, in recent years, produced some of the world's finest specimens of Veszelyite - copper zinc phosphate hydrate hydroxide - but associated with this are a series of even rarer phosphates and arsenates, four of which were first described from there and now have their own series - the Dongchuanite Group. All four members of this group look quite similar and can seamlessly grade from one to the other, but Cuprozheshengite and Cuprodongchuanite are both slightly greener due to their copper content. This small cabinet specimen shows the richness of these fascinating secondary supergene oxidation species. Comprising the typical white Hemimorphite matrix cavities and surfaces are liberally scattered with hundreds of sub mm-size pale peppermint-green spherules of Cuprozheshengite or Cuprodongchuanite, or both. Fractures within the Hemimorphite are filled with flashes of massive electric-blue Veszelyite and larger open cavities feature excellent sharp bladed deep blue Veszelyite crystals to an impressive 7 mm in length. This is a wonderful contextural paragenetic specimen which may well be worthy of detailed chemical analysis. These rarer species have only been noted from two localities in China and, unusually for some super rare species, they are quite pretty, albeit with magnification.