Witherite (fine crystals) (classic material)

Item Description

Some of the finest crystallized examples of Witherite ever found are those from Southern Illinois. These good sized, well-formed with their beautiful stepped faces and soft golden hues make them instantly recognizable among mineral collectors. While Witherite is a simple carbonate species, it's notably difficult to find in any capacity, especially in crystals of this size and quality. This small cabinet sized specimen features a few beautiful, pseudohexagonal crystals of translucent Witherite measuring 3.4 cm long with a few minor Fluorite cubes measuring up to 9 mm on edge. The Fluorites have a thin deep purple hue on the edges, with a lighter blue interior. There a few small bruises that can be seen, but overall, the display side of the specimen is in fine shape. It's quite rare to find a specimen with a good quality Witherites like this, and I love the fact that they are beautifully set atop the specimen. A great example of this now incredibly hard to find high quality material. Valued $1,750.
From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #10404CL. 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.