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Tlapallite

Name: Tlapallite
SKU: 32883-PT
Price: 125.00 CAD
Availability: InStock

32883-PT Category: _Archives –specimens pending sale or deletion Tag: Rare

Moctezuma Mine, Moctezuma, Sonora

Mexico

Dimensions: 5.0x7.0x3.0 cm

Price: CA

This specimen features mint-green spherulitic crystals coating and filling fractures in quartz, accompanied by calcite and an unidentified yellow-green mineral. The tiny crystals display excellent coverage across the matrix. Notably, this specimen comes from the type locality and was originally purchased from S.A. Williams, who, along with M. Duggan, described the mineral. Dr. Tarassoff acquired this piece from Globo de Plomo at the Tucson Gem Show in 1980.

Tlapallite is a rare and complex tellurate mineral, with its name derived from the Nahua word "tlapalli," meaning paint, a reference to the mineral's paint-like films on fracture surfaces at its discovery locality. Its rarity and unique formation make this specimen a desirable mineral for collectors.

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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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