Polylithionite (''flowers'') with Serandite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The Poudrette Quarry is the site of one of the most significant mineralogical localities in the world. There are over 400 mineral species reported from this wildly prolific locality, along with MANY best in the world examples. This attractive small cabinet features a few excellent foliated "flower"-like groups comprising semi-metallic, silvery-beige colored bladed crystals of Polylithionite associated with soft peach-salmon colored Serandite prisms. I can see a soft yellow colored pseudocubic crystal of Leucophanite wedged in between the Polylithionite and Serandite crystals for a nice touch. Very showy and good quality all around. This material is not easy to find on the market as we've been told that collecting at MSH is now restricted by the new ownership, so it's not nearly as easy to get specimens as it was in the past. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20217CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.