Anglesite

Parys Mountain mine, close to Amlwch on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, is the type locality for Anglesite, named for the island.  Anglesey is a relatively large island (260 square miles) off the north-west coast of Wales, separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait, a long and narrow body of water.  Copper mining goes back to the Bronze Age, but it was not until 1761 that mining began in earnest, going on to become the largest copper mine in the world.  Although much of the mine is underground, the massive open pit still remains undisturbed to this day, a colourful patchwork of orange, yellow, chocolate brown, ochre, cream and pink.  This old and historic cabinet specimen, probably from the Mona mine (which became absorbed into the much larger Parys mine) has a characteristic spongy gossan matrix (resembling dark pumice!) with numerous micro-crystals of apricot-tan Anglesite scattered over its surface and, no doubt, pervading its inner pore space.  It is accompanied by five previous labels; two relatively modern; one old and two very old (and rather beautiful).  For those not in the know, Parys is pronounced Paris, as in the French capital.