Detailed information
Species
Veszelyite, Hemimorphite
Dimensions
32 x 75 x 23
mm
Weight
58 g
Locality
Sanguozhuang Pb-Zn Mine Sanguozhuang, Dongchuan District Kunming, Yunnan, China
Condition
No recorded repairs
As Veszelyites go, this is an exceptionally rich one. From the now famous Chinese discovery at Sanguozhuang Pb-Zn mine, Dongchuan District, Kunming, Yunnan it is both intensely coloured and well crystallized. On a world-scale Veszelyite is an extremely rare copper zinc phosphate hydrate hydroxide, but Sanguozhuang Pb-Zn mine has, in recent years, produced some remarkably rich and well-crystallized specimens. These are without question, the world's finest specimens of this species as spectacularly rich encrustations and individual crystals. This superb miniature specimen comprises an elongated piece of pale coloured matrix shot through with grey-white Hemimorphite lining cavities. On its upper surface an extensive crust (3 to 5 mm thick) of deep royal blue Veszelyite crystals has developed as aggregated, curved, serrated, blade-like masses with an attractive resinous lustre. On the reverse, individual Veszelyite crystals are sparsely scattered upon Hemimorphite. This is an exceptionally rich Veszelyite from this important discovery and under magnification looks stunning. The only negative feature are two very small areas where the Veszelyite crystals have been contacted, but these are very minor.