Libethenite (classic material) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The Miguel Vacas Mine in Portugal is famous for producing excellent specimens of various phosphate species, including some of the finest specimens of Libethenite in the world. Certainly some of the finest micro examples of Libethenite come from this mine, showing superb textbook crystal form. This piece is a less commonly seen small cabinet display specimen filled with hundreds of small (about 2 mm), very sharp, highly lustrous, deep black-green colored bi-pyramidal crystals of Libethenite on matrix. The vast majority of the crystals are undamaged. A wonderful example of these beloved and fine quality Libethenite specimens. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #18609CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.