Swamboite-(Nd) (exceptionally rare)

Item Description

Swamboite is an exceptionally rare neodymium uranium silicate species, only found in THREE mines on Earth, as of the time of this posting. According to the entry on mindat.org, Swamboite-(Nd) is one of only three minerals in the world to contain both neodymium and uranium. The species was first described in 1981 from the Swambo Mine in DR Congo, the type locality for the species. This piece just happens to be from that mine and features micro patches of bright yellow acicular "needles" of Swamboite-(Nd) which are sitting on massive, soft orange colored Curite matrix. For reference, Curite is a rare lead uranium oxide mineral, named after the Nobel Prize winning physicist, Pierre Curie. Additionally, there are small golden-orange colored blocky orthorhombic crystals of the rare uranium silicate mineral, Soddyite on the specimen as well for an added touch of rarity. The crystals are micros, and best seen with a loupe or under a microscope, and we've provided photos taken with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate their quality. Additionally, this piece comes with a couple of printed photos of the Swamboite crystals, showing their superb quality and visceral beauty. These specimens are incredibly hard to find on the market, especially with multiple species present. If you collect rarities, don't miss out on this wonderful example, as we likely won't have another one to offer anytime soon. From the collection of Wouter Van Tichelen of Belgium (#20201209), and originally from the collection of Dr. Jakob Plášil.