Carrollite in Calcite (Democratic Republic of Congo) *SPLENDID ISOLATED CRYSTAL* For Sale

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Carrollite in Calcite (Democratic Republic of Congo) *SPLENDID ISOLATED CRYSTAL*:
$89.59

A section of off-white calcite matrix is host to a splendidly isolated bright lustrous metallic carrollite crystal (to 9 mm). From the Kamoya South II Mine, Kamoya, Kambove District, Haut-Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo (also known as Congo-Kinshasa and formerly called Zaire), the specimen measures 34x34x24 mm and weighs 33 g. Erroneously stated originally as coming from the nearby M'Sesa Mine, but carrollite has not been found at that mine (see below).

Please note: this particular item is small and is classed as a small miniature-sized specimen (3-4.5 cm).

Kamoya South II Mine is a benched open cut secret mine first opened in 1998. The mine "owners" employed a strict security force to enforce a "no specimen policy" on the miners. All specimens during mine operation were obtained at the mill, hence, the locality was attributed to several erroneous mine localities. There are eleven "Kamoya" prospects, occurrences, etc. but only one large open pit (Kamoya South II Mine) and the large open pit is the source of virtually all important "Kamoya" carrollite specimens to date. The mine is located 2 km west of Kambove which lies at an altitude of 1,457 metres (4,783 ft). Kambove is the centre of the Kambove mines region. Economic activity in the area includes cobalt processing.

Carrollite (a sulphide) is a sulphide of copper and cobalt, often with substantial substitution of nickel for the metal ions, and a member of the Linnaeite Group. It is named after the type locality in Carroll County, Maryland, USA, at the Patapsco mine, Sykesville. The Linnaeite Group is a group of sulphides and selenides. The minerals are isometric and isostructural with each other and with minerals of the Spinel Group. Carrollite occurs in hydrothermal vein deposits associated with tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, bornite, digenite, djurleite, chalcocite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, sphalerite, millerite, gersdorffite, ullmannite, cobaltoan calcite, and with Linnaeite Group members linnaeite, siegenite and polydymite. Mohs hardness 4.5-5.5.

Calcite (a carbonate) is the most stable form of calcium carbonate and a primary ore of calcium. Calcium carbonates are a very abundant group of minerals and in their purest form, they are completely colourless with excellent transparency. The colour of calcite can be white or none, though shades of grey, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, or even black can occur when the mineral is charged with impurities. Calcite is transparent to opaque and may occasionally show fluorescence or phosphorescence. The lustre is vitreous in crystallised varieties. Calcite occurs in a great variety of shapes, with the most common forms as rhombohedral and scalenohedral crystals. Crystals may be tabular, acicular, prismatic, flaky, and needle-like. May occur as bundles of scalenohedrons, intergrown rhombohedrons, hair-like masses of acicular crystals, grainy, stalactitic, fibrous, massive, and earthy. Acute scalenohedral crystals are sometimes referred to as ‘dogtooth spar’ while the rhombohedral form is sometimes referred to as ‘nailhead spar’, with spar being an old mining or mineralogy term that was used to refer to crystals having readily discernible faces. A spar will easily break or cleave into rhomboidal, cubical, or laminated fragments with smooth shiny surfaces. Calcite is also a common constituent of sedimentary rock, such as limestone, which often contains organic materials including the shell remains of marine organisms. Thus, the composition of calcite is actually quite similar to various organic gemstones such as pearl and coral. The name is derived from the German ‘calcit’, a term coined in the 19th century from the Latin word for lime, ‘calx’ (genitive ‘calcis’) with the suffix -ite used to name minerals. Calcite is quite soft and fragile compared to other gem types and it is primarily classified as a 'collector's stone', not because of its rarity, but because it lacks the hardness and durability needed for most jewellery applications. Mohs hardness 3.

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