Carbonate-rich Apatite (var: Collophane) (unusual material) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

A very unusual specimen from this lesser known mine about 20 km SW of the famous Ojuela Mine in Mexico. This piece is labeled as "Collophane Apatite" which is a rare variety of Carbonate-Rich Apatite. It is a name used for the massive, cryptocrystalline or colloidal (amorphous) varieties according to mindat.org. Additionally there is another label accompanying the piece that states it is "Icicle Calcite", but this was obviously a mistake from an early misidentification. Lastly, it should be pointed out that the "Apatites" from this mine are most labeled these days as being Hydroxylapatite, so it's difficult to say with 100% certainty which species we are dealing with on this specimen. See the MINDAT discussion at https://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,7,166862,211404#msg-211404 on this unique looking apatite material. This gorgeous, three-dimensional, cluster of intergrown globules of a soft cream-white hue is artistically accented with sprays of pyrolusite dendrites and some small translucent colorless Calcite crystals here and there. Very rare and old style material from this obscure small mine. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#2267). Kay was a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics. She nearly lived 100 years from April 1920 - March 2020. See the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record ( https://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/pdfs/Kay%20Robertson%20Collection.pdf ), and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017.