Wulfenite with Duftite(?)

Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Toenail, 3.1 x 2.4 x 1.4 cm
Start Time: 04/17/2021 7:00:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 04/22/2021 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $50

Item Description

This specimen comes with a label from BURMINCO in Monrovia, California that states it is Wulfenite with Duftite. With that said, I can't confirm the actual presence of Duftite on the piece. You can clearly see there are a few tabular bright yellow crystals on Wulfenite, which have a partial coating of drusy / sugary white Quartz, but I don't see anything that really looks like Duftite, especially since the material from this mine is very distinctive. The reverse side of the specimen features some micro specks of a dark greenish-black mineral, which COULD be Duftite, but they are included beneath the surface of the Wulfenite crystals, so I can't imagine how they were properly identified. I even went so far as to look for other species related to Duftite like Arsendescloizite and Mottramite, but I can't find anything online or in any book that makes me believe this piece has confirmed Duftite on it. With that said, this is still a very eye-catching specimen, as the color is a gloriously bright yellow hue, and the contrast with the Quartz makes for a beautiful two-tone combination. There is a bit of roughness along one edge where it was detached from the pocket wall, but it's a very interesting and unusual piece from Ojuela, as I can't remember seeing another quite like it.

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Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$50 04/22/2021 5:58:13 pm (CDT)
$45 04/22/2021 5:56:28 pm (CDT)
$40 04/22/2021 5:56:03 pm (CDT)
$35 04/22/2021 5:56:03 pm (CDT)
$25 04/22/2021 5:14:55 pm (CDT)
$20 04/22/2021 2:28:48 pm (CDT)
$15 * 04/22/2021 11:34:25 am (CDT)
$15 * 04/22/2021 11:34:25 am (CDT)
$10 04/18/2021 11:19:38 pm (CDT)
* Proxy Bid Battle: In the event of two customers inputting matching proxy bids, the leading bid goes to the earliest of the two proxy bids. Tie winners are shown in bold.