Calcite (var: Cobalt-bearing Calcite) (RARE locality) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

A VERY hard to find specimen of Cobalt-bearing Calcite labeled as coming from Wittichen, but no specific mine is given. It's possibly from the Sophia Mine, as I found a similar specimen on mindat.org, but I can't say for certain. The piece features attractive, radial / botryoidal groups of velvety Calcite which range in colofr from a soft misty grey hue to a pinkish-yellow tone to a strong purplish-pink color. The stronger the color, the more cobalt is present in the Calcite. This is the first piece of this material that we've ever had to offer, and stands out as a colorful and showy display specimen of this incredibly hard to find material. I could easily see a piece like this selling for $1,000+ in today's market for the gorgeous color and RARE locale. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #18473CL. 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.