Home > Western U.S. – August 22 > MS1244 Faustite with Wavellite
Faustite with Wavellite - Sold
- Bingham Canyon mine
- Oquirrh Mountains
- Salt Lake County
- Utah
- U.S.A.
- 4.9 by 2.9 by 2.3 cm – Miniature specimen (fits into a 5 cm cube)
Faustite is the zinc analogue of the phosphate mineral turquoise. Erd et al. (1953) named the mineral after Dr. George T. Faust (1908-1985), mineralogist and geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Bingham Canyon mine is the world's largest open cast mine, and has produced a tremendous quantity of copper. Specimens are not especially common from the mine, partially due to automation, but there is an interesting phosphate mineral suite known. On this specimen, faustite forms 1-1.5 mm pale yellow spheres. Associated are colorless wavellite crystals on the quartz gangue matrix. A great faustite specimen! Ex Phil Richardson collection, a Utah specialist.
