Plumbogummite replacing Pyromorphite (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

Please note, the Plumbogummite specimens that have been on the market for the last few years (often associated with or pseudomorphing after Pyromorphite) have been labeled as coming from the Daoping Mine, but according to Berthold Ottens, these specimens are in fact from Laohu. The messageboard on mindat.org has a more detailed discussion about this material and the locality ( http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,7,359222,359822#msg-359822 ). With that said, this piece is a lovely example of the material featuring sharp, well-formed, prismatic, hexagonal crystals of green Pyromorphite which have been partially replaced / pseudomorphed by blue Plumbogummite. What really stands out about this piece is the fact that the Pyromorphite crystals have retained their textbook form, and aren't altered to the point where they look extremely "hoppered" or skeletal. They are notably fine crystals and stand out as excellent examples of this beautiful phenomenon from China. The largest crystal measures 1.5 cm, and are sitting on unusual matrix of what could be Barite or Quartz as those are the only other two minerals that I can find reported from Laohu. These are not the typical replacements that we're used to seeing from China, and this piece stands out as a fine quality and solitary specimen that would make a fine addition to any secondary ore collection or a suite of Chinse minerals. Valued at $1,500. Ex Dr. Steven Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.