Detailed information
Species
Bayldonite, Quartz
Dimensions
30 x 53 x 36
mm
Weight
54 g
Locality
Wheal Carpenter Fraddam, Gwinear-Gwithian Cornwall, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
Wheal Carpenter often gets overlooked in favour of Penberthy Croft mine in relation to Bayldonite, but specimens from the former can be very richly crystallized and are arguably a much more vibrant green colour than those from Penberthy Croft. There is also debate about which was discovered first, with Penberthy Croft mine recorded as the official Type Locality, but a specimen from Wheal Carpenter dating from the late 18th century is in Philip Rashleigh's stunning Cornish collection at the Royal Cornwall Museum. Sir Arthur Russell rediscovered material at Wheal Carpenter in the mid 20th century but the dumps have now been landscaped. This fine miniature specimen comes from the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021). It is accompanied by a typed label about which nothing is known. The Bayldonite is richly crystallized (as microcrystals) and lines cavities within white Quartz veinstone.