Cerussite

An excellent specimen of cerussite from the historic Tynagh Mine, Killimor, County Galway, Ireland. The piece features a mounded cluster of lustrous, pearlescent cerussite blades arranged in a dense, jackstraw-like jumble. The crystals have a bright shimmer and attractive form. The habit is reminiscent of classic cerussite specimens from the Flux Mine in Arizona. The mass isn't as fragile as the Flux mine pieces, however you'll still get little crumbs falling off when handling it.

Mineral specimens from the Tynagh Mine are seldom seen on the market. The large polymetallic lead–zinc–copper deposit was discovered in 1961 and worked mainly as an open pit from 1965 until its closure in 1982. Much of the oxidized ore produced fine secondary minerals such as azurite, malachite, and cerussite, though relatively few specimens were preserved. Today the site has been largely reclaimed, making well-preserved pieces like this increasingly uncommon. From the international collection of Robert Yeoman.