Messelite (rare) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

A very rarely seen specimen of the hydrated calcium iron phosphate Messelite from the namesake type locality in Germany. This member of the Fairfieldite group is rarely seen in good display specimens, but it's a must have species for systematic collectors. This piece features attractive semi-"spray"-like groups of gray-brown Messelite sitting on layered dark brown shale matrix. We have photographed the piece with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. A really attractive piece of this hard to find material. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #6471CL. 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.