Mimetite (classic material) (ex Bob Reynolds Collection)

Item Description

The lesser-known Mount Bonnie Mine in Northern Territory, Australia dates back to the early 1900s, but the Mimetite specimens from this locality were mined in the early 1980s after the Mount Bonnie Trust began mining the locale for gold and silver. These Mimetites are some of the signature examples of the species, and are highly sought after by collectors. This attractive miniature features a handful of very well-formed, sharp, tan-yellow colored hexagonal "barrel"-shaped crystals with attractive pyramidal modifications on the ends, giving the crystals character and depth. The largest Mimetite measures 9 mm across, and they stand out beautifully against the contrasting oxidized matrix. This is a fine piece, display quality for sure and you would be hard pressed to find another like it on the market today. Additionally, it was written in Moore's Compendium of Mineral Discoveries, 2016 on Page 131: "The Mount Bonnie Mine is surely one of the world's top localities for mimetite, and specimens are seldom available; all extant ones should be cherished." Don't let this one get away if you're a fan of secondary ore minerals, worldwide Mimetites or minerals from Australia. From the collection of Robert (Bob) Reynolds who passed in August of 2020. Bob was a well-known fossil and mineral expert and former Curator of Earth Sciences at the San Bernardino County Museum in California. The rare phyllomanganate-chromate species Reynoldsite was named in his honor in 2011.