Calcite with Kolwezite

specimen number:
1612026

location:
Mashamba West Mine, Kolwezi, Lualaba, DR Congo

description:

Pink lustrous translucent crystals of scalenohedral calcite measuring to 2.7 cm in size across the front of this matrix with green crystallized kolwezite. Some cleaving present as seen. 

The Mashamba West Mine, located in the Kolwezi mining district of the Lualaba province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a world-famous open-pit copper and cobalt deposit within the prolific Central African Copperbelt. Geologically, the deposit is hosted in heavily folded and faulted Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Roan Group, where supergene alteration and deep weathering have driven intense secondary mineralization. Historically, the mine became operational during the mid-to-late 20th century under state-backed mining enterprises, yielding massive tonnages of industrial ore while producing breathtaking, museum-quality mineral specimens. Mineralogically, Mashamba West is celebrated for its extraordinary variety of rare and brilliantly colored copper secondary minerals, including magnificent crystals of malachite, heterogenite, kolwezite, and plancheite, making it a legendary locality for mineral collectors worldwide.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.