Home > Western U.S. – August 22 > MS1230 Letovicite on Mascagnite
Letovicite on Mascagnite - Sold
- The Geysers
- Sonoma County
- California
- U.S.A.
- 3.5 by 3.2 by 2.3 cm – Miniature specimen (fits into a 5 cm cube)
Letovicite and mascagnite are both ammonium sulfate minerals. Sekanina (1932) named letovicite after the village of Letovice, Czech Republic, near the type locality. Karsten (1800) named mascagnite after professor Paolo Mascagni (1755-1815), University of Siena, Italy, who made the original description.
Letovicite forms bladed white crystals to 1 mm on mascagnite. The mascagnite makes an interesting matrix, consisting of interlocking bladed crystals (2 mm) forming a concave shape. This specimen was part of the personal collection of Ralph Merrill, proprietor of the prolific mail order business Minerals Unlimited. Merrill's collection card and label ship with the specimen.
