Chrysotile (classic locale) (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

Please note that this specimen is labeled as "Serpentine (variety Chrysotile)". Now Serpentine is defined as a subgroup of the Kaolinite-Serpentine Group, and one of the most common species in that subgroup is Chrysotile. This piece is from the locality that most people refer to as Eden Mills. The proper name for the locality is the Belvidere Mountain Quarries, which lies on both sides of the Orleans & Lamoille County line in Vermont. It was the largest operating asbestos mine in the United States, as it covered over 1700 acres on Belvidere Mountain. This piece is an attractive cabinet display specimen featuring a thick fibrous mass of soft greenish-yellow colored Chrysotile with a slightly chatoyant reflectiveness on the surface. PLEASE NOTE: This specimen is safe to touch, and poses no immediate health risk so long as one does not grind up and inhale the crystals. These are New England classics, and nearly impossible to find in today's market. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016). David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered.