Axinite-(Fe) with Palygorskite

Item Description

Most specimens of these famous Axinites were found during the mid to late 1990’s and then stopped altogether. This piece features very sharp, highly lustrous, gemmy to translucent, clove brown colored "wedge"-shaped crystals of Axinite-(Fe) associated with minor white Palygorskite (and green "Chlorite" on the reverse side). Many of the Axinites really look beautiful when backlit showing a mix of colors including some deep red hues. The piece is in fairly good shape despite the fact that it's contacted on the base where it was removed from the pocket wall. The crystals are incredibly smooth and sharp with beautiful gentle striations on the surface. I don’t need to tell you that this is a hard to find specimen from an important locality. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20257. 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.