SOLD
MD-152220
Vauxite, Paravauxite
Siglo Veinte Mine (Siglo XX Mine; Llallagua Mine; Catavi), Llallagua, Rafael Bustillo Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
Small Cabinet, 6.8 x 3.7 x 1.6 cm
SOLD
From the new find of 2007, this is another great discovery for this locality. This particular piece is a remarkable, very well crystallized, ridiculously rare, specimen consisting of small, bladed, beautiful blue color, radiating aggregates of Vauxite coated by with tabular blades of greenish-white Paravauxite on minor clay (probably decomposed Allophane) matrix. I have photographed the Vauxite crystals under high magnification to show that they are truly terminated crystals and not just a blue mass. I have also photographed the Paravauxite crystals under high magnification. It is very difficult to obtain any specimens of this incredibly beautiful phosphate and to find all two "Vauxite" species together on one piece is fantastic. This piece is from the type locality for Vauxite and Paravauxite which were originally discovered along the Contacto and San Jose veins in this mine and first described by Sam Gordon and Mark Bandy. It is so unbelievably rare to find good size, beautifully crystallized specimens of Vauxite and Paravauxite together from Bolivia like this one. Ex. Brian Kosnar.