Another Hidden Collection Addition
Mineral Matters #725
You know I love me my Hidden Collection…
This one is a specimen of paralaurionite, formula PbCl(OH), in slag from Thorikos Bay in Greece. Paralaurionite forms colourless prismatic crystals. I didn’t realise until after I took the photo that there were also tiny aggregates of a blue mineral )towards the top left in the photo). I didn’t notice them when I first looked at the specimen under the microscope, but could see them once I knew they existed.
The blue is probably cumengeite, formula Pb21Cu20Cl42(OH)40·6H2O, although there a couple of other potential candidates.
Thorikos Bay is in the southeast of the Attica peninsula, in the eastern part of mainland Greece. It is Co-Type Locality for the mineral thorikosite.
Below: Paralaurionite, Thorikos Bay slag locality, Lavrion slag localities, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece. Width of view 7mm.
Thanks Steve... OK, why did you determine it might be cumengeite ? because of the presence of Pb and Cl? and you know it's blue and crystal-shape, habit? All still a great mystery to me! but very pretty! :-))