Albite (var: Pericline) with Fluorapatite and ''Chlorite''

Item Description

The Acushnet Quarry in Massachusetts is famous for producing Alpine cleft type mineral specimens, reminiscent of the European Alps. This particular piece could easily be mistaken as coming from a Swiss or Austrian locality, but the value in enhanced in my mind due to the fact that it's from Acushnet. Several large, blocky, well-formed crystals of Albite (var: Pericline) measuring up to 4.6 cm long are intergrown to create a showy and sculptural display specimen. Along the edge of the piece lies a thick, pale yellow hexagonal Fluorapatite crystal measuring 2.1 cm across for a great touch. The piece is almost completely covered by semi-metallic silvery-grey "Chlorite" (the specific species isn't known, but it's most likely Clinochlore), but the Apatite crystal only has a slight coating, so the broad "c" face is completely exposed. Very little damage and fine quality all around. A beautiful "Alpine-type" display specimen from this well-known New England locality. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #18627CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.