Smithsonite and Aurichalcite (new find)

Item Description

From new finds in the Congo in 2022 comes this colorful combination piece consisting of Smithsonite and Aurichalcite, somewhat reminiscent of Kelly Mine Smithsonite from the USA. This piece features a relatively thick, translucent, botryoidal coating of sea-blue Smithsonite that is enhanced at the bottom of the piece by the bright sky-blue to greenish-blue Aurichalcite. The Smithsonite is without damage or bruising. The occurrence of Aurichalcite at this mine is unusual and the spheres of divergent crystals here are well-formed and range in size from 3 to 5 mm across. These are mostly clustered near the bottom of the piece and they are locally covered by the later crystallization of translucent Smithsonite that enables the bright Aurichalcites to be seen through it! A beautiful piece and one of the better combination examples from a recent discovery in late 2021! How to value these? If this were from the Kelly Mine in New Mexico, as it LOOKS like at first glance to anybody, this would be a $3-4k specimen from the USA. It is a new find, it is not an old classic, and more might come out. These variables may decrease the value, but it is still quite visually comparable to a more expensive American specimen and will really surprise people to see it in person.