Ekatite (w. chalcocite and quartz)

chalcocite; quartz; tennantite-(Zn) (?)

Radiating sprays of black needle-like crystals of ekatite (to 15 mm) in chalcocite ore with a little quartz. It was formerly in the collections of Bill Pinch and Herbert Nägele (Namibia). According to the Pinch Collection label (Exhibit 2), tennantite is also present in the matrix but this has not been confirmed. (Please note that a little off-white "mineral putty" adheres to the left-hand end of the specimen as photographed.) Ekatite is an extremely rare mineral and all known specimens are believed to originate from the same isolated occurrence in the second oxidation zone (?) discovered in circa 1993. Matrix specimens are especially rare, and this specimen should probably be regards as best of species.