Cobaltoan Dolomite

Item Description

This item is part of a special benefit auction for the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org). Items are either deaccessions from the museum's collection or were donated by generous supporters listed below.

Auction open April 1, 2021 through April 17, 2021.

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, April 19, for payment using PayPal or credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost, or please contact brandy@mineralauctions.com if you'd like to plan on picking up items at future shows or during a stop through Dallas.

Shocking, neon pink, sparkling spherules of Cobaltoan Dolomite richly cover the central portion of this variegated tan, pale pink and charcoal gray mottled matrix on this fine specimen from the well-known Mashamba West Mine. The rounded aggregates are mounded up and the individual spheres, up to 5 mm, are composed of numerous, tiny, disk-like crystals that just glisten in any incident light and have an amazing saturation of color. The contrast between the pink Cobaltoan Dolomite and the almost lace-like structure of the colorful matrix is very aesthetic. An old classic from the 1970s-1980s in this style.