Descloizite on hollow Calcite stalactites (rare - Ted Bartels Coll.)

Item Description

A large highly unusual, uncommon and surprising specimen from this less well-known Santa Eulalia mine. Descloizite, a Pb-Zn-vanadate is found in numerous locations worldwide, but is generally rare from Santa Eulalia. Striking, "fingers" and knobs of hollow epimorphs of calcite? stalactites are composed of tiny bladed brown descloizite crystals and are dramatically clustered on the thin crust. Tiny oxide-coated calcite rhombs cover the back and part of the base of the piece, adding character. We recently had a similar specimen from the Kay Robertson Collection from which respected Mexican specialist Dr. Peter Megaw confirmed the species and locality in 2000 to Kay. Not pretty, but certainly a sculptural and rare example of the species and locale from the late 1990s finds from the Ted Bartels Collection.