Detailed information
Species
Kolwezite, Primary Malachite
Dimensions
68 x 57 x 43
mm
Weight
71 g
Locality
Mashamba West Mine Kolwezi mining district Lualaba, DR Congo
Condition
No recorded repairs
Kolwezite - copper cobalt carbonate hydroxide - is an extremely rare mineral species, first described from a mine in the DR Congo in 1980 and five decades later there are still only 15 reported occurrences worldwide, two-thirds of which are in the DR Congo in the vicinity of the Type Locality. Of these, Mashamba West mine is recognized as having produced the finest crystallized specimens of this important species. Interestingly, it is known to form as both olive-green and bronze-brown crystals and botryoidal crystal sprays. This stunning miniature specimen features the olive-green version, as an aggregate of four intergrown botryoidal growths, all displaying a rather unusual greasy smooth surface appearance on top of an irregular feathery branching aggregate of the same. A cluster of glossy, dark forest-green Primary Malachite crystals sit between the two forms of Kolwezite. The largest botryoid reaches 2 cm in diameter. The front display side of this specimen is extremely fine and the rear shows the internal texture of the botryoids and the feathery growths below in a very instructive way. A really rather lovely Kolwezite.