Rhodizite (very rare) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Rhodizite is a very rare potassium, cesium, beryllium oxide, and is one of the more impressive rare minerals that has been found in Madagascar. A few years ago, there were only a few localities outside of Madagascar where Rhodizite has been found, but the Meldon Aplite Quarry in the UK has been discredited as a valid locality for the species, and the two Russian localities are both in question, so as of this posting, the ONLY locality outside of Madagascar where Rhodizite has been confirmed, is the Animikie Red Ace Pegmatite in Wisconsin, and they're quite small compared to the pieces from Madagascar. Rhodizite is a rare gem mineral and is highly sought after by gem and mineral collectors alike. It forms a series with the newly approved species Londonite with Rhodizite being the potassium end member. This is a good Rhodizite specimen featuring a sharp, lustrous, rich yellow color partial dodecahedral crystal, with very minor attached matrix. A good overall thumbnail specimen of this very rare material. Good crystals of Rhodizite have not been found in several years at this point. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #11113CL. 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.