Detailed information
Species
Betpakdalite-CaMg
Dimensions
34 x 59 x 38
mm
Weight
135 g
Locality
Tsumeb Mine Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region Namibia
Condition
Analysed
Betpakdalite-CaMg is one of the rarest secondary species known from the remarkable Tsumeb mine in Namibia. Forming vivid mustard yellow coatings and microcrystals, this complex heteropolymolybdate has recently been redefined through the splitting of Betpakdalite into five visually similar, but chemically distinct species. The original Betpakdalite species, named after the Betpakdala Desert in Kazakhstan that includes the Type Locality, is now reclassified as Betpakdalite-CaCa with a new species Betpakdalite-CaMg identified on specimens from Tsumeb mine in Namibia. This exceptionally rich, very large miniature Betpakdalite specimen from Tsumeb mine from the Kessler Collection has been analysed recently by SEM microprobe and is indeed Betpakdalite-CaMg. The Betpakdalite-CaMg forms two quite extensive areas (3 x 2.5 cm and 2.3 x 1.0 cm) of yellow-orange, scaly, microcrystalline coatings upon a dense unidentified dark grey to purple-grey sulphide-bearing matrix (perhaps Germanite or Renierite, and Tennantite/Chalcocite). This is world-class in terms of its overall coverage of this exotic phase and although some areas are quite thin, others form thicker crystallized coatings. Amongst the brightest yellow coatings there are no perfect individual crystals, but in the area between the two yellow coatings, there are two or three tiny glassy transparent sherry-coloured pointed crystals. Quite what these are is uncertain, but they are a secondary species of some sort.
