Moganite / Chalcedony pseudomorph after Fossil Snail

Item Description

A few years ago (circa 2011), I remember seeing specimens of fossilized / pseudomorphed snail shells from the Gobi Desert (http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Chalcedony-Gobi-Sea-Shell-Snail-Fossil-Specimen-NR-/260832099342), and coincidentally we just obtained a very small parcel of very similar material, but this time from the Sahara Desert. This piece is an exceptionally rare and unusual pseudomorph from this remote locality in the Western Sahara. The material is literally gathered by hand by Bedouin nomads, and as one would exepct, many of the specimens are poor quality with damage, so when you find a superb example like this, it's a real treat. The perfectly fossilized elongated spiral Gastropod (snail) shell - with evidence of small "spines" - has been replaced by lustrous, translucent, golden-orange Chalcedony and white Moganite which is a very rare SiO2 modification, that is not uncommon as a minor component of finely crystalline Chalcedony. This piece is complete and really eye-catching compared to the majority we had to choose from. Don't miss out on this really attractive and interesting pseudomorph / fossil specimen from one of the least populated and obscure localities in the world.