Mimetite (classic 1969 discovery) ex Kidwell

Item Description

This is a colorful and impressive yellow-orange Mimetite small cabinet piece from this important and one-time-only 1969 find at the Congreso-Leon Mine in Mexico. This Mexican Mimetite discovery was unique and now legendary and this is one of the great pieces from that find in this size range! It has large, yellow, glistening balls of Mimetite mounded up everywhere that transition to 2mm ones on the bottom that billow upward to 5mm on the front that comprise botryoids to one centimeter with only minor contacting around the periphery. The matrix is even almost solid Mimetite with a touch of orange-brown Goethite on the bottom in places. These remain classics and unique specimens for the species - never equaled since 50 years, and among the most famous 2 or 3 pockets ever for the species (if you count Tsumeb's 1971 Gem pocket and a pocket out of China in the early 2000s - rarified company!). From the diverse and historic collection of one of the great field collectors and mineralogists of mid-1900s Texas, Albert Kidwell of Houston (1919-2008), after whom the mineral Kidwellite is named. This is a fantastic specimen for a small cab size, and such pieces, if they ever show up at a live show, would easily be valued in the $5000-10000 range. This was among the most valuable specimens in the Kidwell collection, in terms of today's prices reflecting back on 40-60 year old specimens there.