Stilbite with Laumontite and Datolite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

This historic Prospect Park Quarry in the trap rocks of northern New Jersey was the source of excellent crystallized zeolite minerals (and associated species) for many decades. Sadly, the quarry is now closed, and will never produce more of these beloved specimens. This piece is an aesthetic display specimen features attractive "sheaf"-like groups of tan colored Stilbite measuring 3.1 cm long, associated with off-white colored Laumontite along with a few gemmy, soft green colored Datolite crystals on matrix. I can see a tiny bit of Calcite as well for a nice touch. The piece is in very good shape, with no major damage that I can find. Very attractive in terms of composition and associations. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #17816CL. 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.