Quetzalcoatlite (exceptionally rare)

Item Description

Here we have a remarkably rare specimen of Quetzalcoatlite, a zinc copper tellurite with silver and lead content. The species was named after the Toltec and Aztec god of the sea, Quetzalcoatl, in allusion to its blue color. This piece is from the type locality for the species, the Bambollita Mine in Mexico. A small group of blue-green Quetzalcoatlite can be seen under magnification (see red arrow on the specimen). The greenish mineral could possibly be Tlalocite, Tlapallite or Dugganite, and the dark blue mineral is likely Azurite. A cool rarity for any fan of minerals from the type locality. The piece comes with an old label from Forrest and Barbara Cureton.