Todorokite, Romanechite, Birnessite ex. Dr. Robert Hazen

Item Description

These strange biomorphic growths have to be among the strangest and weirdest of all minerals, and come out of the seaside cliffs by erosion. They actually provide interesting scientific information about how such minerals form, in the history of the changing earth (and are used for research in mineral evolution). This is an excellent example of this rare material, which seems fairly unique in the world. Chesapeake biominerals, including Hollandite, Todorokite, Romanechite, Birnessite, and other unusual manganese and iron species, form when metal-rich subsurface waters emerge from the face of the cliffs along the western shore of Chesapeake Bay. Microbes exploit the chemical richness of the waters by oxidizing the metals and precipitating minerals in beautifully sculpted masses. The resulting specimens containing mixed amounts of these related species, such as those you see here, are among the finest examples of their style anywhere in the world and are unique in their aesthetic appeal and scientific interest. A portion of all sales of this material went to support the study of Chesapeake Bay geology through the laboratory of Dr. Robert Hazen (see Hazenite, and Mineral Evolution).