Mottramite with Calcite

Item Description

A classic specimen from this world-famous locality featuring somewhat spherical aggregates of dark olive-green to nearly grey-black colored Mottramite, coating a trigonal crystal of Calcite, and associated with a later generation of gemmy, colorless, sharp compressed rhombic Calcites on top. Some of the Calcites are nearly WATER-CLEAR upon close inspection. A very attractive example of this classic material from one of, if not THE greatest mineral localities in the world. Even common minerals like Calcite were found in superb quality examples at Tsumeb, and the Mottramites are some of the best in the world for what they are.
From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert ("Al") Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974.