Libethenite

Item Description

A 1.4 cm, doubly terminated libethenite is very aesthetically set in the striking vug atop the sculptural small cabinet matrix wedge. The lustrous, sharp, pseudo-octahedral compound crystals are black to greenish-black. The stepped-growth faces enhance the crystals and this crystal is large for the find and are rare. The matrix is argillite, a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed predominantly of indurated clay particles (Wikipedia). This large underground and open pit Cu-Co mine produced the world's finest examples of this uncommon Cu-phosphate in 1975, with several different crystal habits found (this owner was there at the time working, and took some home, stored until now!). See the 1978 Mineralogical Record article in Vol. 9, No. 6. An excellent and showy matrix specimen from the find with fine form.