Detailed information
Species
Smithsonite, stalactite cast
Dimensions
114 x 55 x 54
mm
Weight
253 g
Locality
Berg Aukas, Grootfontein District Otjozondjupa Region Namibia
Condition
No recorded repairs
This highly unusual cast of Smithsonite after what appears to have been a stalactite is from Berg Aukas in Grootfontein District, Namibia. This famous mine - best known for the world's finest Descloizite crystals - closed in 1978 but was also the source of some of the world's best Smithsonite specimens, many of which got incorrectly labelled as from Tsumeb mine. Berg Aukas produced many different forms of Smithsonite but one of the most unusual, and distinctive, are the orange 'fingers', or casts after stalactites. These are so iconic of Berg Aukas, but also extremely rare, having been found in a limited number during the 1970s. This single, 11.4 cm tall stalactitic cast is superb because it shows half of the outside, but also half of the inside and is in perfect condition - having originally formed as a half stalactite cast, rather than being split. A highly collectible oddity from Berg Aukas.