Olmiite on Calcite

Item Description

Here is an atypical Olmiite from the manganese mines of the Kalahari, particularly nicely displayed on matrix. This triangular plate of matrix is host to both of two main crystal types of this species: a spherical aggregate of Olmiite and very rare, and relatively large, single crystals of Olmiite! Glistening, colorless, transparent Calcite crystals from 1 to 4 mm cover the matrix plate and serve as the contrasting base for the pinkish Olmiite. A single, 2.3 cm spherule of translucent pinkish brown Olmiite dominates the top of the piece and it's composed of a plethora of tightly grouped, radiating crystals that scintillate with any ambient light. Ten, loosely clustered Olmiite crystals are distributed on the Calcite and they range in size from 7 mm to 1.1 cm in length and all of them are textbook orthorhombic crystals, which are incredibly rare for the species by the way, and they have essentially transparent rims with translucent cores exhibiting pronounced phantoms, also rarely heard of for the species! This is just a unique specimen of Olmiite from the N'Chwaning II Mine from the finds of the late 1990s and very early 2000s. Valued $1000-1500.