Home > Secondary Minerals – May 24 > MS0704 Caledonite
Caledonite - Sold
- Mammoth St. Anthony mine
- Tiger
- Pinal County
- Arizona
- U.S.A.
- 3.6 by 2.0 by 1.8 cm – Thumbnail specimen (fits into a 2.5 cm cube)
Caledonite is a bright blue copper lead sulfate mineral found in limited quantities in many copper-lead mines. The mineral name denotes Caledonia (Scotland), origin of the type material (Beudant, 1832). This example comes from the defunct Tiger mining camp, a prolific mineral specimen producer during World War II and the subsequent decade or two. Considered by many to be the source of the most beautiful caledonite specimens, this is a rare solid mass of intergrown crystals. This group has crystals to 5 mm, but most are in the 3-4 mm range. The specimen has a curved shape, and the entire surface showing the gemmiest and brightest crystals. Some of the crystals show surface alteration to brochantite. Such large groups of caledonite are very rare!