mimetite after cerussite

A relatively large example of mimetite pseudomorphing cerussite, with the largest crystal (90 mm) quite sharp and dominant on a matrix of smaller pseudomorphs and gossanous material. The replacement of the main crystals appears to be largely complete, although the (naturally) broken crystals suggest that the cerussites were dissolved from the inside as well to form a "tube" of cerussite after which mimetite crystallisation continued on both the inner and outer surfaces, leaving thin remnants of cerussite in the "tube" wall. On the reverse of the specimen a window through the mimetite reveals residual colourless cerussite at the base of one of the crystals (exhibits 2 and 3).

The specimen was purchased from Scott Werschky in 2013 but with no record of provenance or location in the mine.

An overview of mimetite pseudomorphs after cerussite was published by Cairncross (2021).