Antigorite (var: Williamsite) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a piece of what was once called Williamsite, which used to be a valid species, but it's now defined as a translucent pale apple-green variety of Antigorite. This is a classic specimen from arguably the most well-known locality for the material, the Line Pit (Lowe's Mine) right on the state line border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Organized mining stopped at this locality in 1919, so this piece is easily over 100 years old. It's essentially a sold mass of slightly translucent, beautiful apple green colored "Williamsite" with a bit of black Chromite mixed in. Typically, Antigorite is a much more muted color, but the small amount of chromium content in this material gives it the strong green hue. These specimens are virtually impossible to find on the market today. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #6452CL. 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.