Lueshite (very rare) (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

A very rare example of the sodium niobate species, Lueshite from the namesake type locality, the Lueshe Mine in DR Congo. This piece is a classic example of this incredibly hard to find material, with pseudo-cubic form (the species is actually orthorhombic) with good metallic luster and typical silvery-black color on the surface. What makes this so grand is the size and, most especially, the sharpness of the crystal. I am told that these came out only sporadically, and mostly dating back to the 1990s. This is one of the largest and sharpest crystals of the species that I have had to offer in the auctions. A significant example for the species. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016) with a label from noted rare species dealer Josef Vajdak. David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered.