Parahopeite pseudomorph after Hopeite (ex Dr. Wouter van Tichelen Collection)

Item Description

A very hard to find pseudomorph of the rare hydrated zinc phosphate Parahopeite replacing Hopeite (another hydrated zinc phosphate) from the famous Kabwe Mine (Broken Hill Mine) in Zambia. The color ranges from a orange-brown (caused by some sort of oxidation) to a creamy white and then into a gorgeous seafoam green underneath. Both Parahopeite and Hopeite are identical chemically, they are only differentiated in the fact that Parahopeite is triclinic in its crystal habit, and Hopeite is orthorhombic. For reference, the Kabwe Mine is the type locality for Parahopeite. These pseudomorphs are ridiculously rare to find on the market, and this piece was mine circa 1960s-1970s, and will never be mined again. From the prestigious pseudomorph collection of Dr. Wouter van Tichelen of Belgium.