Phosgenite

The lead-zinc Monteponi mine in the municipality of Iglesias is in the south west of the island of Sardinia, Italy.  This mine is world famous as one of the best specimen producers of Phosgenite, the rare lead chlorocarbonate and this locality is certainly the best for this species in Europe.  This ex-matrix miniature is composed of two intergrown crystals, the larger measuring approximately 3 x 1.5 cm in cross section and 2 cm tall.  The prisms are translucent pinkish champaign with deeply striated prism faces and mirror flat, highly lustrous pinacoid terminations.  The two crystals growth parallel to one another but are vertically off-set and also exhibit terminations on the opposite end to that of the main pinacoid, although these are feathered into an array of etched columnar Phosgenite.  A gorgeous and classic miniature Phosgenite from Monteponi, Sardinia.