Duftite and Wulfenite on Dolomite cast

Item Description

This is an interesting and attractive example of a Tsumeb "shell" epimorph of one mineral creating a cast of another that has an interesting geological history. Pinkish scintillating Dolomites exhibiting, flattened, stepped rhombohedral crystals formed as a hollow, somewhat botryoidal crust in relief of a previously existing and now dissolved and/or replaced earlier mineral, possibly Smithsonite or Calcite. At some point during its history, the material in the pocket was subjected to rupture and pocket brecciation (breaking and collapse) causing the slightly curved botryoidal remnants to be randomly stacked, then replaced by, and "glued" together with, Dolomite. Brecciation created many open spaces in this piece that allowed for the deposition of several other minerals later on. One "vug" shows isolated, late stage, white Calcite rhombs to 3 mm accompanied by bright green, micro Duftite crystals and several, small, pale orange Wulfenite crystals. A larger area on one side of the piece is almost completely lined with glistening micro Calcite crystals with some vestiges of the pale pink Dolomite showing through along with numerous bright green patches composed of globular Duftites providing great contrast as well as diversity of mineralogy. Really interesting specimen! It looks totally different, from all sides.