Orientite (RARE - Type Locality)

Item Description

Orientite is a RARE hydrated complex Ca-Mn-silicate and the Firmeza District of Cuba is the type locality. Sparkly, metallic, microcrystals and massive chocolate-brown orientite composes this solid, 360-degree, vuggy ore specimen. The species was named in 1921 (MINDAT). The piece has a fine provenance having been in the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences Collection (#19799 - matching numbers), the William Vaux Collection, US National Museum (the Smithsonian) and Dr. Chris Stefano specimen # 2419. Chris formerly worked at the Seaman Museum in Michigan and is currently the Editor of the Mineralogical Record. Illustrated in the MINDAT Photography Gallery for the locale at: https://www.mindat.org/photo-172381.html. Not pretty to look at, but this is an extreme, possibly unique, old rarity from the Cuba type locality.