Mimetite with Calcite (rare color and habit for the locality) (ex Bob Reynolds Collection)

Item Description

When it comes to Mimetite from San Pedro Corralitos, most people are familiar with the world-famous rich yellow botryoidal crystallized specimens, but this piece is distinctly different as the color and habit are both notably different from what is considered the "norm". This piece is filled with dozens of sharp, well-formed, hexagonal prisms which range in color from a greenish-brown hue to more true yellow and green tones on the back/lower portion of the piece, which are associated with rhombic Calcite crystals on matrix. The largest Mimetite measures about 3 mm long. Most of the crystals are in excellent shape, and they are fun to view up close. There is a slight coating of a reddish iron oxide in some spots, which just adds an additional layer of color. I can't say I've seen a piece quite like this from the locality, and if you collect Mimetites, Mexican minerals or unusual secondary ore minerals, don't pass this one up. It's certainly an older specimen, I would guess it dates back 50+ years, and you'll never see these again. From the collection of Robert (Bob) Reynolds who passed in August of 2020. Bob was a well-known fossil and mineral expert and former Curator of Earth Sciences at the San Bernardino County Museum in California. The rare phyllomanganate-chromate species Reynoldsite was named in his honor in 2011.