Salammoniac (NEW FIND - rare locale)

Item Description

A NEW FIND of two generations of salammoniac crystals on this RARE, most colorful undulating plate from this less well-known large modern open-pit porphyry copper mine in Peru. The striking knobby botryoids on top are composed of stunning rich turquoise-blue color translucent crystals with the lower layer composed of starkly contrasting colorless waxy lustre translucent salammoniac. Salammoniac is a rare ammonium chloride, without water. It is generally found as colorless, white or yellow-brown crystals. The intense blue color is RARE and is thought to be caused by copper inclusions. MINDAT does not list the species for the locale and there are NO photos of any of the numerous species listed for the mine. Remarkable two colors for a rare species from a New Find! BETTER in person. Difficult to photograph. The turquoise knobs GLOW, when back lit!