Tondiite (crystals!) (extremely rare)

Item Description

An extremely rare example of the recently approved (2013) copper magnesium hydroxy halide, Tondiite from one of only THREE known localities for the species. The co-type localities are the Santo Domingo Mine in the Arica Province of the Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile and Mt. Vesuvius, Italy. This piece is from the third locality, the Maria Mine (Santa Maria Mine) next to the Santo Domingo Mine in Chile. Stark emerald green trigonal crystals! of Tondiite sit in a thin layer on the underlying matrix. Even though Tondiite is a fairly new species, it was named after an 18th and 19th century Italian mineralogist, Matteo Tondi. Tondi's largest accomplishment was his collaboration with noted mineralogist Rene Just Hauy on the compilation of the classic Traite de mineralogie. Tondi studied minerals throughout Europe, and had essays published in the Royal Neapolitan Academy of Sciences.