Lepidocrosite on Germanite ore (Ruggiero Coll.)

Item Description

Lepidocrosite is iron hydroxide and is dimorphous with goethite. It is a very rare species at the famous and now-closed Tsumeb Mine. A rich, sculptural vug in hefty, germanite ore is totally lined with scintillating microcrystals. The Ed Ruggiero Collection card description with the piece very accurately sums up the qualities of this Tsumeb rarity: "Not a beautiful mineral until you get it under magnification and bright light. Then it sparkles with tiny reddish crystals. Anyway, it's rare and it's Tsumeb." This is an extremely rich and superb example of this species. Purchased from the Zweibels in 1978. NOTE this collector worked at Texas Instruments at the time and used lab analysis to confirm his own rarities. Valued at $450.