Detailed information
Species
Melonite
Dimensions
16 x 26 x 11
mm
Weight
12 g
Locality
Kambalda Coolgardie Shire Western Australia, Australia
Condition
No recorded repairs
Melonite is a very rare nickel telluride known in significant crystallized specimens from just a few places in the world. The nickel mines at Kambalda in Western Australia are perhaps the most famous, but despite being very rich, specimens are usually very small. This very large thumbnail-sized specimen presents classic 'kinked' lamellar, foliated masses of grey metallic Melonite alongside Pyrite and perhaps Pentlandite and with a small patch of white Quartz. Despite being small, this is an extremely rich specimen of this unusual species, with the main area covering 2 x 1.3 cm but also extending right through the sample. Ex the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).