The Richard M. Geiger Collection

The specimen is comprised of five groups of smaller, densely packed crystals displaying a flattened pinacoid-dominant habit. The crystals are zoned into layers with varying clarity, presenting a matte luster on the top faces, but very transparent, reflective, and gemmy lower down. The old Scott WIlliams label identified this as coming from Hotazel, but Rob suspected that is really from N'Chwaning. Marshall Sussman remembered that there is a specimen of identical habit in the Mineralogical Record (Vol. 9, No. 3, pg. 144, top left; 7 cm.), confirming N'Chwaning as the correct locality. Or so I presume. ----- Photos ©2005 Richard Geiger