Psilomelane (Romanechite - old) Kay Robertson Coll.

Item Description

Psilomelane is an obsolete group name for hard black Manganese Oxides. MINDAT does not list the species from the historic mines at Schneeberg, but does list Romanechite, another Manganese Oxide. A nearly identical looking specimen is shown in the Adam Heber Mine Photo Gallery. Intergrown, gray, elongated matte-finish bubbly botryoids resemble cauliflower heads and form a very sculptural 360-degree specimen. Sparkly secondary overgrowths on the sides add much pizzazz. Previously in a German collection. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 8242 and acquired from the Cisneros' in 1977. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017). Undoubtedly old-time material, but no proof. An exceptional and pristine manganese oxide specimen from Schneeberg.