Antlerite (mill by-product) (ex Bill and Anne Cook Collection)

Item Description

An interesting specimen of the copper sulfate species, Antlerite that was formed as a by-product of a mill of an undisclosed locality in Yavapai County, Arizona. The labels accompanying the piece state that it was discovered near a major copper mine dump. The piece formed as the result of secondary crystallization of processed copper ore and sulfur, much in the same way that you'll find crystals of Chalcanthite (another copper sulfate species) at old mine sites where copper and sulfur mix with ground water and recrystallize on old mines walls underground. This piece is essentially a thin "crust" of crystalline Antlerite with a beautiful emerald green hue, and it almost resembles waves of the ocean crashing against the shore. A really interesting and rarely seen piece that would make a cool novelty addition to any collection. From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio, who acquired the piece from the Mineralogical Record benefit auction in Tucson many years ago. This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.