Creedite with Gypsum var: Selenite

Item Description

Creedite is a well-known sulfate species, but is not found in many localities in fine quality examples. The crystals from Santa Eulalia are arguably the best purple Creedites ever found, which is the most desirable hue for the species. This piece is a classic association specimen featuring attractive, sharp, lustrous, gemmy lavender colored Creedite crystals measuring up to 1.1 cm, associated with excellent, gemmy colorless crystals of Gypsum var: Selenite measuring up to 1.7 cm oxidized matrix. There is a bit of roughness in spots, so it's not perfect, but it's a beautiful combo from this classic locality and certainly would make a nice addition to any suite of Mexican minerals.
This piece comes from the personal collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman, the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. Dave is now retired from mining, but he worked for decades in various mines underground in Colorado, as a miner, mechanic, engineer, shift boss and foreman. His biggest claim to fame is that he was the foreman and the primary person in charge of mining and specimen recovery at the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado in the 1970s alongside his son-in-law, Rich Kosnar. This project what was the FIRST ever operation for specimen recovery at this historic locality. A full-page photograph of Dave can be seen mining underground at the Sweet Home in on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".