BISMUTHINITE

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

An excellent specimen of the bismuth sulphide Bismuthinite, from Fowey Consols mine at Tywardreath, to the north east of St. Blazey and St. Austell. The Bismuthinite forms a rich network of acicular prismatic crystals up to 1 cm in length, spanning a broad and deep cavity in a Chlorite-rich Quartz vein. The colour and lustre of the Bismuthinite crystals is metallic silvery-grey. They span the cavity surrounded by many small, needle-like milky Quartz crystals, also partly encrusted with bluish green Chlorite. Also within this vug is the odd modified cubic Pyrite crystal. This splendid large miniature is accompanied with four labels which include those of Ian Acworth; Geologisch Centrum, Ootmarsum, Nederland and Sam Weller (Barn Cottage, Boscaswell). It is also recorded as ex. Paris School of Mines. If you have time, you could investigate further the rather beautiful old label glued to its base, a rhombic, lozenge-shaped paper with an inner blue printed lozenge enclosing the number 85 in black ink.