Malachite after cuprite (w. smithsonite)

TSNB755
Specimen
Klein, W.
Exhibit 1. Malachite after cuprite (w. smithsonite); 24 mm.
Exhibit 1. Malachite after cuprite (w. smithsonite); 24 mm.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Exhibit 2. 22 mm field of view.
Exhibit 2. 22 mm field of view.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Thumbnail by 1Thumbnail by 2

Specimen Title

Malachite after cuprite (w. smithsonite)

Associated Minerals

mimetite; quartz; smithsonite

Principal Mineral

Malachite

Precursor Mineral

Cuprite

Size

Thumbnail; 24mm

Location in the Mine

First oxidation zone; Open Pit

Provenance

Klein, W.

Collection

MGMH; 126908

Entry Number

Specimen; TSNB755

Description

A sharp pseudomorph of malachite after a modified cubo-octahedral cuprite crystal on a small shard of matrix. The malachite has subsequently been encrusted with a thin layer of colourless – or perhaps very pale green (?) – microcrystalline smithsonite. The matrix shard consists of quartz and malachite but, like the pseudomorph, has been partly encrusted with microcrystalline smithsonite (Exhibit 2). Minute (< 0.2 mm) yellow mimetite crystals are present on the matrix smithsonite.

This was specimen 588 in the collection of Wilhelm Klein, production manager at Tsumeb between 1916 and 1939. His catalogue records that it is from the Open Pit at the top of the first oxidation zone.