Mimetite (Var. Campylite)

A classic old-time specimen of "Campylite" variety of mimetite from the historic Dry Gill Mine, Cumbria, England. The specimen features numerous lustrous burnt-orange to brownish-orange barrel-shaped crystals on a milky quartz matrix. The crystals display the distinctive curved, nubby habit for which Campylite is renowned, forming attractive semi-spherical aggregates with rich colour and excellent lustre. While there is a little bruising present to a couple of the crystals, the specimen remains a highly representative and aesthetically pleasing example of this iconic material.

Campylite was once considered a distinct mineral species but is now recognized as a variety of mimetite. Its unusual curved barrel-shaped crystals are unlike those from most other mimetite localities and have arguably made Dry Gill specimens among the most recognizable of all English minerals. The Dry Gill Mine, active intermittently between the mid-1800s and 1869, is one of the world's classic mineral localities despite its relatively modest ore production. The finest specimens were recovered during the nineteenth century, with smaller finds occurring sporadically in the decades since. Today, quality examples have become increasingly difficult to obtain, making this an excellent representative specimen from one of England's most celebrated mineral localities.