Bahianite (exceptionally rare)

Item Description

Bahianite is an exceptionally rare aluminum antimony oxide species, only found in Brazil (named after the state of Bahia) and has a unique chemistry considering that it's a metallic oxide that is not black but rather a brown-tan color. This piece is from Paramirim das Crioulas, which mindat.org reports as the type locality. It's a typical "nugget"-shaped example with a dark golden-brown hue. Not only is Bahianite very rare material, but it is amazingly durable with a hardness of 9. You almost never see these on the market anymore, and if you're a rare species collector, or a fan of minerals from the type locality, don't miss out on this one. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #4708CL. 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.