Rhodizite (rare) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Rhodizite is one of the more impressive rare minerals that has been found in Madagascar. It has been found in only three localities outside Madagascar: Ural Mountains of Russia at Schaitansk, in England, and in Wisconsin. Before the discovery of Rhodizite in Madagascar, the largest known crystals were found in Russia and they only measured up to 1 cm. The other two localities produced very little Rhodizite, and the crystals were very small. Rhodizite is a rare gem mineral and is highly sought after by gem and mineral collectors alike. It forms a series with the fairly recently approved species Londonite with Rhodizite being the potassium end member. This is a great Rhodizite specimen featuring a sharp, lustrous, well formed, blocky, light yellow color crystal measuring 1.2 cm on off-white Microcline matrix. Minor damage on the left side of the crystal, but still very good quality and size for the species. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #14337CL, and the catalogue entry for the piece states that it was exported from China and imported into the United States by The Rocksmiths, and was purchased by Chet on in February 2001 (TGMS Show). 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.