Detailed information
Species
Witherite, Calcite
Dimensions
55 x 88 x 44
mm
Weight
217 g
Locality
Murton Mine, Scordale Hilton, Escarpment District Cumbria, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
This most unusual Witherite specimen was found in 1969 in Murton mine, opposite Hilton mine in Scordale, Cumbria, England. Accompanied by a Lindsay Greenbank label (collection no. LG.263), it records very specifically where, within the mine it was found and how it was collected by Lindsay, passing to his friend Anthony Walshaw (collection number 1989), and then back to Lindsay later. Upon it, opaque white steeply pyramidal Witherite crystals (to 1.2 cm tall) and several bipyramids (to 2.2 cm in length) are altered to bright white Baryte, with some showing dissolution of the Witherite core. Passing through the aggregated Witherite crystals is a rib of dirty grey included nailhead prismatic Calcite crystals culminating in a 3 cm tall crystal at one end. Such sharp, pointed pyramidal crystals of Witherite are rare, making this an important piece from Murton mine. There is some slight, age-related wear, but overall this is a really interesting north of England Witherite.