Zincite (human-made) (rare BLUE color!)

Item Description

These distinctive Zincite specimens are well-known from Poland, but they are human-made, and actually grew in a smelter fire over 40 years ago. Again, these are NOT natural crystals, but they are chemically Zincite. For some years, people were led to believe that these were natural, but it's common knowledge that they are a byproduct from an industrial production kiln. They are brightly colored and have beautiful external luster, and I've seen them in reds, oranges, yellows and greens. THIS particular specimen features an incredibly rare light BLUE color! It's the only one I've seen with this hue, and while there are sections of the piece that feature glowing yellow/gold hues, the blue really stands out, and is remarkable. Although this is not natural material, the rarity of the blue color combined with the fact that it's actually well-crystallized make it a highly desirable example of this unique material.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#12,198). The piece comes with a label from the Polish dealer that sold it years ago. 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.