Pseudomalachite (fine rare locality specimen) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Here we have an excellent and very rich specimen of Pseudomalachite from an unlikely locality, the Schuyler Copper Mine in North Arlington, New Jersey. This locality dates back to the colonial America, (it first opened circa 1715) and closed in 1865. The mine is long buried under housing now, but a handful of scattered specimens find their way on the market from time to time. What's really impressive about this specimen is that it's a secondary copper species from a mine that's just a stone's throw from New York City. It's not what most people would associated with minerals of New Jersey. The piece features dozens of attractive spherical aggregates of rich forest green Pseudomalachite on sandstone matrix. Keep in mind that Pseudomalachite is a phosphate, NOT a carbonate like Malachite, and the two are often mixed up in favor of malachite. A must have piece for any fan of obscure / old locality specimens, rare species or simply oddball / esoteric pieces. You would be hard-pressed to find another like it anytime soon. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #17709CL. 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.