Villiaumite on Sodalite (var: Hackmanite) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The Poudrette Quarry at Mont Saint-Hilaire in Québec, Canada is one of the world's most magnificent mineral localities. As of the time of this posting, 433 different mineral species have been found at the Poudrette Quarry (Demix Quarry), and it's also the type locality for 71 of those species. This is a rarely seen cabinet sized specimen featuring attractive sharp, cubic crystals of gemmy carmine-red colored Villiaumite measuring up to 5 mm sitting atop a matrix of white Sodalite (var: Hackmanite). Not all of the crystals are complete, as there are some cleavages and incomplete crystals, but there sharp, well-formed faces to be seen up close. Keep in mind that it's not easy to find matrix specimens of this uncommon halide from this locality, and in my experience, it's equally rare to find Villiaumite on Sodalite like this, so if you're a fan of minerals from this prestigious quarry, do not pass up the chance to get your hands on this one. Now that MSH is mostly off limits, collecting has been limited / reduced in recent years, so if you collect minerals from this world famous quarry, don't miss out on this attractive specimen. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #2288CL. 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.