OLMI1016
Olmiite
N'Chwaning II Mine, Kalahari, South Africa
Large Cabinet, 16.7 x 8.6 x 6.6 cm
SOLD
This is THE LARGEST FINE PLATE FOR SALE, from this pocket. The visual appeal is obvious. The crystals are sharp, and a unique color and oddly squarish crystal habit for the species. The sheer richness of this plate makes it important, but it is also aesthetic as well (a combination I much admire). As with the other specimens of this style, all the crystals seem to be about 6-8 mm in size. But there are so MANY of them here, and so robustly arranged in clusters and hillocks on this 3-dimensional matrix piece, that it is a gorgeous specimen for any species, rarity aside. And, even with as many olmiite as has been found of late, this is a radically different style and appearance. It looks for all the world like a Tsumeb cobaltian smithsonite specimen of top quality - and quite unlike previous finds of olmiite, with these unusual, flattened, squarish crystals. I saw the majority of this pocket laid out in front of me, and this is one of the very few (under a dozen) large and fine specimens of this style that were found.It was the largest available for sale, in fact.