Witherite (fine classic material)

Item Description

Here we have a classic example of the famous, superb Witherites from the Minerva No. 1 Mine in Southern Illinois. Although Witherite is a well-known barium carbonate species, there are only a few world localities that produce fine quality crystals. The species was discovered over 200 years ago, and the type locality at Brownley Hill Mine, England along with other mines in Cumbria have produced some of the most distinctive and classic specimens around. Along with the English pieces, the specimens from the Minerva No. 1 Mine in Illinois are among the best ever found. This particular specimen features good sized, sharp, well-formed, lustrous, pseudo-hexagonal (orthorhombic), soft yellow color, translucent crystal group of Witherite with a bit of matrix. The piece is in good shape, thought the underside and the back are contacted where the piece detached from the pocket wall. The size, quality and relative obscurity on the market today make this a worthwhile specimen from one of the most famous mining districts in the United States. We had a value of $2,000 on this one for the size, quality and the fact that they are hard to find on the market now. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #6554CL. 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.