Dawsonite (rare)

Item Description

A beautiful example of the rare carbonate Dawsonite which is labeled as coming from the Selvena Mine (Morone Mine) in Tuscany, but please note that I can't find a listing for this species from this locality, so it might be from another mine in the Grosseto Province. Dawsonite has been known since 1874 when it was named after Sir John William Dawson of McGill University in Canada, who first collected the mineral. This small cabinet specimen features attractive radiating "sprays" comprising needle-thin acicular crystals of Dawsonite measuring to about 4 mm across, on matrix. There are some partial colorless crystals on an unknown species as well (see photo). A hard to find specimen of this classic material from Italy.
The piece comes with a label from Meli Rodolfo of Florence, Italy.