Clinoclase with Olivenite

Item Description

The highly lustrous botryoidal clusters of clinoclase on this specimen are richly colored, appearing in a striking inky indigo. The deep-green sprays of olivenite, a classic association with these old materials, are scattered beautifully within the clinoclase vug, creating a stunning visual contrast. The quartz-rich matrix features some well-formed euhedral quartz crystals, adding further interest to the piece. This is a lovely full-sized thumbnail from the Type Locality in the historic Cornwall region of the UK (and it probably is from the 1800s), a locality with a rich mining history dating back to the Roman Empire. Cornwall is one of the premier localities for clinoclase, and this specimen is a wonderful example of the region's mineralogical heritage. Ex Jingnan (Tom) Zhang.