Hydrocerussite with Crednerite and Malachite

Quite blocky crystals of Hydrocerussite display a platy stepped pyramidal habit and measure up to around 7 mm from Torr Works quarry (aka Merehead quarry) at Cranmore in Somerset, England. Cranmore is a little to the east of more well-known Shepton Mallet. Officially Torr Works, this quarry is commonly referred to as Merehead quarry by collectors, with specimens frequently labelled ‘Merehead’. The Hydrocerussite is very thinly coated by manganese oxides. Associated with this is an area of metallic black, thin platy crystals of rare Crednerite and acicular green Malachite which line a cavity of sooty grey Calcite crystals. The base has been sawn to display banding within the Mn-oxides-Calcite matrix and in turn provides a stable base on which to display the specimen.