Melanterite (RARE Michigan locale) Nowakowski Coll.

Item Description

Melanterite is a hydrated iron sulphate formed after the decomposition of pyrite or other iron minerals due to the action of surface waters. It is often found in mines as a post-mining formation on mine walls (MINDAT). It is VERY RARE from any of the iron mines in Iron County of the Menominee iron range. This sculptural, large, very light weight (119 grams mass), post-mining crust is from the extinct underground Sherwood Mine, a deep 1625' mine. The rounded light brown masses consist of intergrown sprays of needle-like crystals. It looks like coral on the surface. RARE and desirable older material from the Mark & Lynn Langenfeld and Robert Nowakowski Collections. we have never seen another for sale of such size and richness but smaller specimens sell for $200-500 each and this should be valued more highly.