Serpierite (RARE CA) Kay Robertson Coll.

Item Description

Serpierite is a fairly common complex hydrated Ca-Cu-Zn sulfate, but is VERY RARE from California, with only three localites known. This rich and rare specimen is from the obscure Lucky Lucy Mine in the well-known Darwin District. This extinct tiny Bi-Zn-Cu mine was active in the 1950s (MINDAT). The red arrow on the front points to the radial sprays of greenish-blue Serpierite. The striking rich covering of green radial sprays of needles is probably Brochantite. The second red arrow on the bottom points toward a RARE 1.0 cm crust of lustrous green Pseudomalachite botryoids. Pseudomalachite is not listed by MINDAT for the locale. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 11523 and acquired from the Cisneros', respected rare mineral dealers, in the Summer of 1988. Previously in the William G. Bancroft Collection. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien-Welt" November-December 2017). A rich, perhaps UNIQUE California combination rarity. A MUST for the locality or species collector.