Zinnwaldite (ex Al Kidwell Collection)

Item Description

This specimen is labeled as coming from the Winnipeg River area in Manitoba, which isn't terribly specific, but it's all we have to go by. If anybody out there has some more detailed information as to where this piece specifically might be from, please let us know. With that said, this is a very attractive small cabinet sized specimen of this uncommon Mica species featuring tightly intergrown "fan"-like crystal groups of dark brown foliated crystals, free of matrix. The crystals have a semi-metallic luster on the surface and the piece almost has a chatoyant effect when it's rotated in the light. From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974.