Minerals of Tsumeb
Tsumeb belongs to the world's most prolific mineralogical sites, famous especially thanks to both beautiful and rare secondary minerals of Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Sb and, what is characteristic and reflects the ore chemistry, Ge, Ga and Cd. Minerals first described from Tsumeb include, according to Mindat.org:
- rare (but also a few common) arsenates: andyrobertsite, arsenbrackebuschite, arsendescloizite, arsentsumebite, biehlite, calcioandyrobertsite, chudobaite, duftite, ekatite, fahleite, feinglosite, ferrilotharmeyerite, gaitite, gebhardite, gerdtremmelite, helmutwinklerite, jamesite, johillerite, keyite, koritnigite, leiteite, ludlockite, lukrahnite, molybdofornacite, o'danielite, prosperite, reinerite, schneiderhöhnite, schultenite, sewardite, stranskiite, thometzekite, tsumcorite, warikahnite, wilhelmkleinite, zincgartrellite and zincroselite
- unique germanium (bartelkeite, calvertite, eyselite, fleischerite, germanite, itoite, krieselite (germanate topaz), mathewrogersite, otjisumeite, ovamboite, schaurteite and stottite) and gallium (gallobeudantite, söhngeite, tsumgallite) minerals
- others are: kegelite, minrecordite, otavite, plumbotsumite, queitite, sidpietersite (unique thiosulphate), stibioclaudetite, tsumebite and zincrosasite.
- Minerals of Tsumeb
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Very large cluster of azurite crystals, ex-Smithsonian collection, offered at US$125,000. Size 16.7 x 13.2 x 10.5 cm.
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Calcite crystals colored red by tiny inclusions of hematite. Size: 9 x 9 x 4.3 cm.
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Zoned Cerussite crystal, 5.9 x 3.6 x 1 cm.
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Dioptase crystals on calcite, a classic Tsumeb specimen. Size: 8.2 x 5.8 x 5.5 cm
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Leiteite, a zinc arsenate, colored umber-red by inclusions of Ludlockite, a lead arsenate. Tsumeb is the type locality for both species. Size: 2.8 x 1.8 x 1.2 cm.
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Malachite pseudomorphs after azurite, 13 x 6 x 4 cm.
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Gemmy mimetite with a "sidecar" of wulfenite, 2 x 1 x 1 cm.
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Bright blue scorodite crystals on brown-black beudantite, 8 x 5 x 3 cm.
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