Kinoite with Gilaite (rare classic material) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

A beautiful example of the rare hydrated calcium copper silicate, Kinoite along with the rare hydrated copper silicate Gilalite, from the famous Christmas Mine in Arizona. Although the best known examples of Kinoite come from the Christmas Mine, most people don't realize that the type locality is actually further south in Pima County. This is a great display specimen of this rare species featuring gorgeous micro crystals of stark blue Kinoite which are associated with soft blue-green colored Gilalite on matrix. We have photographed the piece with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. Kinoite gets its name from the Italian Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino (1645-1711). You can actually see a statue of him along the Kino Parkway in Tucson. Valued at $400. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#10198). 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).