Calcite

Item Description

A classic specimen from the Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine), featuring a full coverage of prismatic, trigonal, white/colorless, gemmy Calcite crystals measuring up to about 1.7 cm, which are sitting on a matrix coated by iridescent, drusy Pyrite crystals. Most of the Calcite crystals are undamaged and look very nice up close. Sweetwater Calcites typically have some kind of golden or yellow hue to them, so to find crystals that are without color is rare in my experience with this material. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20703CL. Chet's catalogue mentions that this piece was "A former Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, specimen (no label) sold at the Munich show by the Curator." 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.