Lollingite with Bustamite and Sphalerite

Item Description

A surprising example of an old turn of the 1900s Aussie rarity: here we see a couple of larger and a few smaller silvery crystals of Lollingite that are frozen in an Bustamite and Sphalerite matrix. The largest and most obvious pair of crystals at the top left measure nearly 1 cm across. There are several other metallic lustered Lollingite crystals frozen in the matrix as well. Pink, granular Bustamite dominates the piece with the glittering from its hackly fracture. The Sphalerite is coarsely granular with a brown-black color in subhedral crystals to 3.5 cm. All of the component minerals in this piece have their distinct color and texture! A very good and unusual piece from the Nine Mile Mine in the Broken Hill district of NSW. Such specimens when they turn up, usually are valued in the $1-2k range.