Stichtite Hill, Dundas, Tasmania

Mineral Matters #420

I have recently purchased a few Daniel Smith watercolour paints, one of which is called “Serpentine Genuine”.

Daniel Smith is an American company, and it uses natural pigments in some of its colours. Minerals and rocks such as sodalite, sugilite, kyanite, and serpentine, are sourced from various places.

The serpentine for the Serpentine Genuine paint just happens to come from Dundas, Tasmania! I didn’t realise until I saw one of their blog posts, Mining for minerals in Tasmania to make Serpentine Genuine. An interesting read!

Not only is it from Tasmania, but it is from Stichtite Hill (the Type Locality for stichtite) mined by friends of mine, Mike and Eleanor Phelan! I have even been there and collected some specimens!

I haven’t yet used this particular paint, but I will soon, and it will have a special meaning for me.

Stichtite is interesting. As you can see below, the stichtite appears to be forming from chromite. But chromite is pretty inert. So not sure how this is happening.

Below: Chromite (black) being replaced by stichtite (purple) in serpentine (green), Stichtite Hill, Dundas, Tasmania. Specimen is about 60mm across and face polished.

Below: Eleanor Phelan selling carved serpentine items, made from serpentine from Stichtite Hill, at a Zeehan Show.

Below: View from Stichtite Hill with serpentine outcrop in the foreground. Apologies for this photo and the next one. They were taken with a very early point and click digital camera!

Below: Mike Phelan at Stichtite Hill.