Dolomite & Calcite on Sphalerite (RARE - old) Robertson Coll.

Item Description

A very showy, rich and RARE old-time combination specimen from a most obscure and long extinct mine in this famous and historic old Pb-Zn mining district. Two generations of dolomite rhombs, calcite crystals and quartz crystals are festooned on the massive sphalerite matrix. The larger, stepped-growth, sugary, creamy dolomite rhombs reach 1.3 cm on the diagonal. Tiny, colorless, translucent dolomite rhombs are richly peppered about and scattered gemmy, colorless, nailhead calcite crystals, to 1.1 cm and doubly terminated, and quartz points are fine accessories. The Kappel Mine is not listed by MINDAT and must be near the small spa village of the same name. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 1101 and acquired in January, 1959. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017). A RARE, probably unique, showy and rich old-time combination specimen from the Black Forest.