Charlie Key Tsumeb Collection

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CKTSU-34 - Rosasite - $ 750
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 4.4 x 2.8 x 1.8 cm

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Rosasite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-34a.jpg]

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Rosasite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-34b.jpg]

A coating of superb, "velvety" blue-green rosasite has grown over a botryoid of fibrous, deep green, malachite. This rosasite coating is absolutely one of the most visually pleasing colors in the mineral kingdom. A rich, displayable 3-D miniature.

CKTSU-35 - Cerussite - $ 600
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 4.0 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm

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Perched upon a sliver of contrasting matrix, this specimen of colorless, gemmy and glassy cerussite features two types of twinning, both cyclic and reticulated. The largest crystal measures 1.0 cm across and this along with the other crystals exhibit adamantine (diamond like) luster. A jewel of a miniature!

CKTSU-37 - Rosasite on Malachite - $ 900
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 3.9 x 3.6 x 2.2 cm

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Original botryoids of fibrous, green, malachite which average 1 cm across, have been coated by superb, blue green , "velvety" rosasite. The bottom side has several glassy and gemmy, colorless crystals of cerussite, to .5 cm across.

CKTSU-15 - Cerussite - $ 1750
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 4.3 x 2.4 x 1.2 cm

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This gemmy and glassy cerussite is colorless and remarkably, can be displayed properly on either side. This is a fine example of cyclic twinning but its so rare to get this form comobined with such incredible clarity and colorlessness. This piece is almost a floater, save only a small narrow contact on the bottom edge. Superb miniature, one of two obviously from the same pocket that are nearly identical and were kept in the collection. This is slightly the more elegant of the two in my eyes.

CKTSU-14 - Cerussite - $ 350
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 3.4 x 3.2 x 2.3 cm

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This cerussite, cyclic twin, is highlighted by a large, spearpoint crystal, measuring 3.0 cm in length. The color of the crystals is gray with good adamantine luster and some translucence. Nothing fancy, just a really neat piece for the equant, sharp geometry of that main termination.

CKTSU-12 - Mimetite - $ 1800
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 8.6 x 6.7 x 3.8 cm

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Covering a matrix of heavy, reddish-brown cuprite are rosettes of yellow-green mimetite crystals, to 2.0 cm across. In fact the shape and color of the mimetite is reminiscent of many ground covers used in Texas gardens. The style is, for Tsumeb, quite rare actually and dates to teh oldest workings of the upper oxidation zone. While not the most gemmy kind of mimetite, the overall look of this piece is still fascinating and worth adding to any diverse Tsumeb suite CKTSU-13 - Cerussite - $450 keytsumeb01-013 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia Miniature, 4.6 x 3.9 x 2.6 cm Aesthetically perched on brown limonite is a colorless, elongated twin of cerussite, 2.6 cm long, which exhibits superb adamantine luster and super clarity. There are additional smaller crystals which have been partially or totally pseudomorphed by the limonite it seems. This major crystal is a doubly-terminated floater just sitting there, unlikely as it looks. It is pristine save for a tiny, tiny, bit of wear on the smaller end's tip. Very attractive!

CKTSU-63 - Wulfenite - $ 2500
Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 3.4 x 3.3 x 2.6 cm

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A shockingly fat and well-formed, almost freestanding large crystal dominates this piece. The major crystal is 2.5 cm tall, 2 cm wide, and 6 mm thick...very robust and unusual for Tsumeb. It is nearly pristine save for the most minute of dings, and sits perfectly on a natural perch of smaller wulfenite crystals. When backlit, it has a rich ruddy-brown color to it, and you can see even in normal lighting here it is translucent. For the loclaity, a significant specimen, I would say.

CKTSU-04 - Wulfenite on Dolomite - $ 6500
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 6.6 X 5.5 X 4.9 cm

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This is an important specimen with lustrous and translucent, tabular wulfenite crystals of a unique, electric orange-golden-flecked hue, to 2.5 cm across. The shockingly lustrous, translucent to transparent wulfenites are aesthetically perched on sparkling, ivory colored dolomite. Only the slightest bruising on a few crystal edges, and one small contact on the upper-right of the major crystal, is evident as a minor detraction on an otherwise world-class wulfenite specimen that is still a superb piece by any normal standard. Wulfenite of this quality, with fat translucent crystals of this size and lustre, is almost unheard of from Tsumeb. Few will ever hit the market of this calibre when you take the size of the crystals and the size of the matrix into account. The last major piece of this style (probably the same pocket) that I am aware of came out to market from the Sussman collection in 2003, has since been on a Min Record cover; and resold for over double my initial selling price of 50k at the time. The total last bit of perfection isn't quite here, but its close; and both the overall impact and the significance certainly are present.

CKTSU-02 - Galena with Dolomite - $ 1450
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 8.3 x 3.9 x 3.4 cm

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Galena with Dolomite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-02a.jpg]

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Galena with Dolomite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-02b.jpg]

Numerous SHARP crystals of matte-black, octahedral galena to 1.2 cm in length are nestled in a vug of massive galena. For a color contrast there are a few crystals of ivory colored dolomite to accent them. Octahedral crystals of galena from Tsumeb are particularly rare though for odd reasons ANY galena in crystallized form is extremely uncommon from this mine despite its overall production tonnage of galena ore. So, to get a really good galena, good enough to go with a display-quality Tsumeb collection, is harder than you might at first think!

CKTSU-03 - Azurite - $ 1600
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 8.1 x 5.0 x 2.9 cm

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Associated with fibrous green malachite, this cluster of lustrous, deep royal-blue azurite, in crystals to 4.5 cm in length, clearly exhibits gemmy highlights that are unusual in azurite crystals of such size. The quality of the crystals overshadows the multiple areass of obvious contact which otherwise detract, and Charlie kept this obviously more for the vivid, great color, than anything! But still, aside from the edge contacts, the azurites are large and of unusually good quality on the display faces presenting the viewer as it is displayed.

CKTSU-05 - Malachite - $ 1200
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
cabinet, 14.0 X 9.4 X 6.0 cm

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This is significant for Tsumeb! Totally covering its hefty, limonitic matrix, is a drapery of chatoyant, velvety, dark green malachite. It has grown in large botryoids reaching 4.0 cm across. The chatoyance effect is very noticeable here, with seemingly shifting dark and light spots as you twist it in the light. Few large malachite specimens of this calibre from tsumeb would be available, especially in such good condition. It is an important locality piece and a nice dose of color to add to any Tsumeb suite, though the mineral may be common from other places.

CKTSU-06 - Anglesite - $ 950
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 7.8 x 7.0 x 3.3 cm

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Gemmy, glassy, colorless, spear-like crystals to 1.0 cm in length, are surprisingly rich on this specimen. If not for the weight of the piece, you might at first guess calcite or smithsonite but not anglesite, which is so rare from Tsumeb! But they are indeed anglesite, flanked and surrounded by botryoidal spheres, to .2 cm across, of a dark gray to black, mineral, possibly one of the manganese oxides. Unusual!

CKTSU-08 - Cerussite - $ 2000
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 5.3 x 2.5 x 2.2 cm

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Displaying adamantine luster and translucence, this specimen of cerussite exhibits reticulated twinning with 5 members intersecting the main crystal. Very attractive and complex miniature in super condition as you can see!

CKTSU-11 - Dolomite Cast - $ 300
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
small cabinet, 7.3 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm

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To my knowledge, oddly and sometimes beautifully formed casts of dolomite, like this one, reach their zenith only at Tsumeb. Light as a feather, this shoe-like cast is sparkling white and translucent. An under-appreciated, yet beautiful member of the Tsumeb suite of minerals.

CKTSU-47 - Cobaltian Smithsonite - $ 950
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 5.2 x 4.9 x 2.7 cm

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Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-47a.jpg]

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Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-47b.jpg]

Massive, iridescent, black ore is the host for a cluster of pastel pink, lustrous and translucent crystals of cobaltian smihsonite to 1.0 cm across. Super contrast of colors! The crystals are translucent and have an almost silky overall lustre to them.

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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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