Cyanotrichite (ex Geary Murdock Collection)

Peacock Mine, Leadore District, Lemhi County, Idaho
Small Cabinet, 5.2 x 4.3 x 3.7 cm
Start Time: 11/15/2018 7:00:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 11/27/2018 6:30:00 pm (CST)
Auction Closed

Item Description

Cyanotrichite is a not a terribly common mineral in the United States, and most people would agree that the Grand View Mine in Arizona is most well-known locality for the species, but the second most productive mine would be the Peacock Mine in Lemhi County, Idaho. The specimens from Arizona are very similar to the Idaho material with similar radiating "velvety", tiny "hair-like" acicular groups of brilliant blue needles of Cyanotrichite associated with deep blue Azurite and green Malachite on oxidized matrix. This piece is a very attractive specimen of this ambiguous material featuring beautiful acicular radiating Cyanotrichites that look fantastic under magnification along with the associated Azurite and Malachite. N.B.: I couldn't find any info about this mine, and while doing a bit of research I found a good article from Lanny Ream on his website about how the Peacock Mine is probably NOT the locality for this material, and may have never produced these specimens at all. Today, it's all still labeled as coming from the Peacock Mine, but in the article, Lanny says that he and a friend found specimens of Cyanotrihcite, Azurite and Malachite at the Iron Dyke Mine in Stroud Gulch (just east of the Peacock Mine. Lanny states "What is apparently the Peacock Mine, presently shows no mineralization at all. Not one scrap of azurite, cyanotrichite or malachite can be seen on the dumps or workings." Interesting stuff. The You can read the article here: http://www.lrream.com/idaholocalities.html

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