Duftite ps. after Wulfenite, & Arsentsumebite (rare pseudomorph !)

Item Description

Intriguing and attractive, this is a rather amazing pseudomorph from the great Tsumeb Mine: The Wulfenite blades, which range up to almost 1 cm on edge, are completely replaced by beautiful, rich green Duftite. As is often the case with such fragile replacements of thin crystals, some of the Wulfenites, now Duftites, are broken off or simply never formed completely as the original mineral dissolved away, and so you can see inside. The major upside to this is that you can see the glassy interiors of the blades, and at the same time a good cross-section view of the replacement process. Totally unique! These pseudos are accompanied by lighter green Arsentsumebite which probably indicates this is from the older areas of the mine, pre-1950s anyhow. Just as a bonus, Tsumeb is the TYPE LOCALITY for both Duftite and Arsentsumebite, which greatly adds to the importance of this combination. Good specimens of Wulfenite being replaced by the Duftite are only found at Tsumeb, and even then they are rare, making this an imoprtant, as well as aesthetic, miniature. This was recently deaccessed from the extensive collection of Bob Reynolds, who cherished both minerals and fossils as he collected. Bob is a prolific author and has had several curating positions in museums.