Cafarsite (rare classic material)

Item Description

Without a doubt, best known specimens of rare arsenate Cafarsite are found at the famous mountain of Scherbadung (German name) or Cervandone (Italian name), in the Binntal on the Swiss/Italian border of the Alps. This mineral was named for its chemical composition (calcium, iron {Fe}, arsenate), but it turns out that the species has essential fluorine, and it is my understanding that the chemical formula is going to be changed soon to reflect this. Additionally it appears that there is also sodium, manganese, aluminum and REE that will be part of the formula. This specimen hosts a good-sized crystal of Cafarsite measuring to about 7 mm sitting on typical on gneiss matrix. Keep in mind that most Cafarsites are only a few mm, so a crystal this size is fairly big for the species. The habit of the Cafarsite crystal is octahedral, which is not terribly common to see, as most are either cubes, or cuboctahedrons. A very good specimen of this rare mineral from this classic Alpine locality, and dates back to the 1980s. Valued $1,200.
From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #13287CL. 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.