Calcita Cobaltocalcita
Calcita is a mineral with formula CaCO₃ + Co, in the Carbonatos group. This specimen comes from Mashamba West Mine, Kolwezi, Lualaba, Alto Katanga, República Democrática del Congo (ex-Zaire) and joined the Terrium collection in 1988.
Description
Deep cavity lined with intense fuchsia cobaltocalcite crystals, lustrous and well defined, in sharp contrast with dark-green fibrous–acicular malachite bundles. The cavity architecture gives a strongly organic, almost sculptural aspect. Marked colour contrast and very uniform crystallisation. On one side, slightly duller cobaltocalcite occurs with acicular pompons of fibrous malachite.
History of this specimen
Typical find of the 2020–2022 Musonoi lots.
About Calcita
Cobaltocalcite is a cobalt-rich variety of calcite that shows pink to intense fuchsia colours.
About the locality
After the wars and regime changes, this mine, a symbol of Belgian colonial exploitation, passed in 1990 to the Congolese state company Gécamines. Today it is controlled by Chinese multinationals. Where there is international extraction, mining activity is usually not the problem; obtaining good collector specimens is. Industrial exploitation and armed conflicts make the recovery of well-preserved specimens very difficult.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0124
- Composition
- CaCO₃ + Co
- Name
- Calcita
- Variety
- Cobaltocalcita
- Group
- Carbonatos
- Category
- Cavella
- Matrix
- Brecha dolomítica moteada
- Associations
- malaquita
- Mine
- Mashamba West Mine
- District / Municipality
- Kolwezi
- Province
- Lualaba
- Region
- Alto Katanga
- Country
- República Democrática del Congo (ex-Zaire)
- Size (cm)
- 8.6 x 5.5 x 5
- Weight
- 262 g
- Acquired
- 1988
- Ex-collection
- S. Müller
- Etymology
- From German "Kobalt", for the element present, and from Latin "calx" ('lime'), for the basic composition.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Abellaíta — España
- Andersonita — España
- Aragonito (Pantojo) — España
- Aragonito (Azul (Toralina)) — España
- Aragonito — Italia
- Aragonito — España
- Aragonito (Pantojo) — España
- Aragonito (Azul) — Italia