Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Specimen Title
Cerussite (w. aragonite and malachite)
Associated Minerals
aragonite; conichalcite-duftite (?); cuprite; dolomite; malachite
Principal Mineral
Size
Cabinet; 89mm
Location in the Mine
First oxidation zone; 11 Level; West
Provenance
Klein, W.; Bloch, H.; Pinch, W.W.
Collection
MGMH; 2020.7.1986
Entry Number
Specimen; TSNB648
Associated Minerals
aragonite; conichalcite-duftite (?); cuprite; dolomite; malachite
Description
A multi-layered shell of buff-coloured dolomite hosts a layer of massive cuprite, partly encrusted with spherules of conichalcite-duftite (?) which is in turn thickly overgrown by densely aggregated spherules of malachite. A mass of intergrown sprays of off-white aragonite (v. tarnowitzite) crystals (to 16 mm) rests on the malachite and the paragenesis is completed by colourless, cyclical twins of cerussite (to 18 mm across).
Semi-quantitative EDS indicates that the aragonite contains approximately 13 wt % Pb (Frank Keutsch; Harvard University, 2025).
The specimen is from the Bill Pinch Collection and belonged formerly to Dr H. Bloch. Affixed to the specimen is an old number "232" indicating that it is originally from the collection of Wilhelm Klein, production manager at Tsumeb between 1916 and 1939. Klein’s corresponding catalogue entry reads: "Cerussit auf Arragonit; 11.Sohle Westen" [cerussite on aragonite, 11 Level West].
