Magnetite (rare cubic form) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Magnetite is not a rare species, but good display quality specimens are not that easy to find. The famous pieces from Balmat, New York are not only beautiful in terms of their displayability, but they have a wonderful rare crystal habit to boot! These are some of the most distinctive and eye-catching Magnetite crystals of the species in the world due to their rarely seen cubic habit. This piece features many sharp cubic crystals measuring up to 1.0 cm with RARELY seen slightly raised tetrahexahedral modifications on the broad cube faces sitting on white Anhydrite matrix. You almost NEVER see cubic Magnetite crystals from any world locality, let alone modifying tetrahexahedral faces like this. These specimens were mined in the early 1990s, and then no more were found. They are rather difficult to find on the market today. This specimen, despite having some contacts, is still very good sized for the material and locality, and is pretty good quality due to its sharp, lustrous faces. A good representative specimen of this well-known material from New York. Magnetite is a fairly common mineral, that is well-known to collectors, but fine crystals like this are only found in a few places around the world. Valued at $2,400 retail in our inventory. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #4451CL. 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.