Atacamite

Name: Atacamite
SKU: 32707-PT
Availability: InStock

32707-PT Category: Europe - Various Species and Localities

Levant Mine, Pendeen, Cornwall, England

UK

Dimensions: 4.5x5.0x1.0 cm

Price: CA

$75.00

Here we have emerald-green pseudo-octahedral micro crystals scattered on red ocherous hematite-quartz matrix. Described as paratacamite on the original label but crystal from suggests atacamite: pseudo-octahedrons, with striations on {110} faces parallel to {001}. Purchased from Richard W. Barstow, in Cornwall, England, 1977.

About Mr. Barstow: Richard "Dick" Barstow, born on January 7, 1947, in Bangor, North Wales, was a highly respected mineralogist and one of Britain's most enterprising modern field collectors during the mining revival of the 1960s. Based in Tregeseal, near Botallack, Cornwall, he began his mineral business in December 1972, trading by mail order. Despite not having formal scientific education, Dick's extensive knowledge and energetic approach to researching and visiting classic and recent localities led to remarkable success in recovering high-quality specimens, often marked with his signature green card labels (one included with this specimen). He passed away at the young age of 35 from liver cancer, but his legacy endures, with the Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery acquiring a portion of his fine private collection of Cornish and Devonshire minerals in 1986.

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This specimen comes from the collection of Dr. Peter Tarassoff, a prominent figure in mineralogy, particularly known for his work at Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH). His diligent collecting and examination efforts have led him to be the first to identify at least 35 species and discover 12 new species, not only at MSH but also at other alkaline localities. Dubbed the "Dean" of Mont Saint-Hilaire collectors, Peter was honoured with the naming of the new species petarasite in 1980. He has authored or co-authored numerous mineralogical articles and has been a member of the Mineralogical Association of Canada since 1964 and the Mineralogical Society of America for over 30 years. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Peter was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal by the Mineralogical Association of Canada.

Peter's dedication to systematic collecting, curating his collection, and maintaining an archive of detailed historical and scientific information has greatly benefited the mineral sciences community both in Canada and globally. All specimens from this collection come with the original P. Tarassoff collection label.

Note: All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). International customers are charged in CAD, exchange rate is calculated automatically by your bank/paypal upon checkout.

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