Smithsonite (fine crystals)

Item Description

A wonderful Smithsonite from Tsumeb featuring many very sharp, well-formed, pale golden colored scalenohedra measuring up to 1.7 cm on matrix. The crystals have a slick vitreous luster, with good internal gemminess, and most of them are undamaged. One of the labels accompanying the piece mentions the year 1981, but I can't say for certain if this is the year the piece was collected or acquired. From the collection of Daniel ("Dan") W. Behnke (July 31, 1932 - January 20, 2020) of Glenview, Illinois. Dan was an Associate Photographer of both the Mineralogical Record and Rock and Minerals magazines. He served as the Micromount chairman of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies from 1981 to 1988. He was elected to the National Board of Directors of the Friends of Mineralogy in 1989, and the Micromounters Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a beloved member of the mineral collecting community, most notably for his supreme skill at photomicrography. If you've ever seen any of Dan's micro photos on mindat.org, it's easy to see why he was one of the best in this field. You can read his obituary at https://www.nhscotthanekamp.com/obituaries/Daniel-W-Behnke?obId=10633628