Detailed information
Dimensions
45 x 34 x 16
mm
Locality
Brownley Hill Mine Nenthead, Alston Moor Cumbria, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
This is a fine, old-time crystallized Alstonite on Witherite from the Co-Type Locality at Brownley Hill Mine, near Alston (from where the species name is derived). The Alstonite shows the distinctive habit of elongated bipyramidal crystals, individually reaching to 9 mm in length, sat upon a finely crystallized bed of cream coloured Witherite. Some of the Alstonite crystals have damaged tips, but many are perfectly doubly-terminated and all show a somewhat resinous surface lustre, indicating an older collecting period. Despite being miniature in size the coverage of crystals is really good. It is accompanied by an old handwritten label recording, "Alstonite xx Alston More". Ex Ennio Contarini Collection.