Pyromorphite

In 1902, lead-zinc deposits were found approximately 100 km north of the Zambian capital Lusaka.  The resultant mine was named Broken Hill, but in 1966 this was changed to Kabwe.  For mineral collectors this avoids confusion with the Australian locality of the same name.  There are a surprising number of collectors of minerals from Kabwe, constantly looking out for what are now relatively difficult specimens to obtain.  Pyromorphite is one of its classic species and this cabinet specimen is an aesthetic beauty of museum quality.  The matrix is an extremely porous and vuggy naturally etched Quartz veinstone, whose entire pore space is filled with micro-acicular Pyromorphite crystals.  The display surface is formed by a parallel series of depressed ribs crossing the specimen and these are entirely lined with delicate siskin green Pyromorphite crystals to about 6 mm tall.  For readers unfamiliar with the colour a siskin (a small finch) it is a subtle yellowish green.  The prisms are slender tending to acicular and form a specimen of delicate yet robust appearance.  This is an exceedingly fine specimen and a splendid representative Pyromorphite from Kabwe mine in central Zambia.