Another Hidden Collection Addition

Mineral Matters #468

You know I love my Hidden Collection. 😁

This specimen is another addition. It is labelled simply as “Wavellite, Wood Prospect, near Del Rio, Cocke County, Tennessee”, and is another specimen from Charles Willett.

Now here comes the fun part. This locality is the Co-Type Locality for fluorwavellite, along with the Silver Coin mine, Valmy, Iron Point, district, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA.

The paper describing fluorwavellite states that all specimens analysed from both localities were fluorwavellite, but that does not guarantee that wavellite doesn't occur. Without analysis, you just don't know as both species are visually indistinguishable.

Technically, I probably should label this as Wavellite Group.

Oh, and there is a second addition to the Hidden Collection, very aesthetic variscite crystals. 😁

Below: Colourless-white radiating sprays of wavellite (or fluorwavellite) with pale pink (ferrian) variscite crystals, Wood Mine, Del Rio Mining District, Cocke County, Tennessee, USA. Width of view 6mm. Click on the image for a higher resolution version.