Hemimorphite (RARE locality specimen) (ex Al Kidwell Collection)

Item Description

An incredibly hard to find old-time specimen of Hemimorphite from the little known Esmeralda Mine in Durango, Mexico. I don't believe we've ever had a piece of this material to offer in the auctions prior to this specimen, and I could only find a single photo of one other piece on mindat for comparison. It's somewhat comparable to the pieces from Choix, but still distinctly different in its own right. This piece is a sculptural and eye-catching display piece covered on all sides by beautiful light blue botryoidal aggregates of Hemimorphite with a vitreous luster. There are some thin white "veins" running through some of the Hemimorphite "balls" to create an almost "lightning bolt" effect. Perhaps the blue color is caused by copper content, which is often the case with blue Hemimorphites, but it's hard to know for certain. What IS certain is that this a must-have piece for any fan of Hemimorphite or Mexican minerals, as you'll likely not see another like it anytime soon. I believe the piece was mined in the early 1970s. From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974.