Detailed information
Species
Olivenite, Quartz
Dimensions
60 x 50 x 34
mm
Locality
Wheal Gorland St. Day United Mines, Gwennap Cornwall, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
Richly coloured dark olive-green 'furry' acicular crystals of Olivenite coat an area of 4.2 x 3.5 cm upon terminated Quartz crystals growing from a thick, iron-stained Quartz vein, from Wheal Gorland at St. Day, Cornwall. Under magnification, the Olivenite crystals are much brighter green, glassy, and terminated, individually reaching 4 mm in length. This form of Olivenite is not at all common in Cornish specimens, although the overgrowth on Quartz crystals is, but usually from the neighbouring Wheal Unity mine. This fine large miniature specimen is accompanied with three old labels, one from the F.H. Skelding collection prior to it entering the British Museum (Natural History) and then the most recent from the Glyn Cunnick collection. A rich Olivenite and of a quite unusual crystallized form, from this famous old Cornish copper mine.