Ramsdellite (classic material)

Item Description

A classic specimen of Ramsdellite from the type locality, and most likely famously collected by Dick Jones, according to his son Roy. This is not a muddled mass, but rather a good piece featuring sharp, softly lustrous orthorhombic prismatic crystals sitting atop a massive Ramsdellite matrix. Ramsdellite is a dimorph of Pyrolusite and forms by inversion of Pyrolusite or oxidative dehydrogenation of Groutite. The species is really only found in a few places in the world in superb crystallized examples, with the finest pieces coming from Lake Valley. This piece has very little damage, save the periphery where it was removed from the pocket. The luster is what I would call "directional" as it seems to change when rotated in the light, and appears brighter at certain angles than others. The largest individual crystal measures about 7 mm. Priced at $400 in the inventory. If you collect New Mexico minerals, or good U.S. specimens, do not miss out on this one.