Bustamite (classic material)

Item Description

Bustamite is an uncommon calcium manganese silicate mineral., It is not often seen in fine crystallized examples from most localities, but there is no doubt that the finest piece ever found are those from Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia. Bustamite crystals are fairly notably diverse from this area, as I've seen crystals that range from red to reddish-brown, red-orange, salmon-pink, white and even lilac, with habits ranging from big/thick/blocky to thin and acicular. This piece features a 2.6 cm crystal of rich pinkish-brown Bustamite with a waxy luster, along with other smaller Bustamites associated with Calcite and Sphalerite. The crystal is not 100% complete, presumably where it either grew against the pocket wall, or another Bustamite underground, but it sits beautifully on the matrix. If you collect minerals from the prolific locality, or you're just a fan of good display specimens of lesser-seen minerals, this is a nice piece to add to your collection.
From the collection of Gerry Morvell.