Trona (classic material)

Item Description

Trona is an uncommon evaporative carbonate mineral, whose name comes from a Swedish term, but was actually derived from the Arabic world "natrum" meaning native salt. Some of the best known crystallized examples of the species ever found are those from Owens Lake in California. This piece is a very good quality full cabinet sized specimens featuring beautiful soft golden colored, tabular, elongated crystals measuring up to 3.8 cm sitting on matrix. Most of the crystals are in excellent condition, but it's obviously contacted around the base of the matrix where the piece was removed from where it formed. Overall, it's a fine example of these superb crystallized specimens of Trona. PLEASE NOTE: Trona is soluble in water, so do not wash this piece off to try to clean it.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#11,889). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.