Pseudomorphs & Replacements C

Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements N to P. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements Quartz. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.

Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?





Cacoxenite after Strunzite
USA
North Carolina, Cleveland Co., Kings Mountain District, Foote Lithium Co. Mine (Foote Mine)




Calcioancylite-(Ce) after Remondite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Calcite after Aragonite
Australia
Tasmania, Zeehan district, North Dundas, Renison Bell Mine

Calcite @ Aragonite 16cm	© DSW

Calcite after Aragonite
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Sauerland, Arnsberg, Holzen, Calcite quarry




Calcite after Aragonite
Italy
Sicily, Agrigento Province

Calcite after Aragonite & Sulfur ~7.5cm wide	©

Calcite after Aragonite
Japan
Honshu Island, Chubu region, Gifu prefecture, Neo-mura, Nogohakusan (Nogo-Hakusan)




Calcite after Aragonite
Namibia
Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Tsumeb, Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine)




Calcite after Aragonite
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk (Dalnegorsk; Tetyukhe; Tjetjuche; Tetjuche)




Calcite after Aragonite
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Banská Štiavnica Mining District, Banská Štiavnica (Selmecbánya; Schemnitz), Banská Štiavnica Mines




Calcite after Aragonite
USA
Colorado, Larimer Co.




Calcite after Aragonite
USA
Oklahoma, Ottawa Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field




Calcite after Barite
Hungary
Heves Co., Mátra Mts., Gyöngyösoroszi, Károlytáró

Calcite after Barite 5.9cm wide	© Tamás Ungvári 2005

Calcite after Calcite on Quartz
Bulgaria
Plovdiv Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Laki (Luki), Djurkovo Complex, Droujba (Drujba) Mine




Calcite after Calcite
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Saucillo, Naica, Naica Mine




Calcite after Calcite?
Romania
Maramures Co., Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik), Cavnic Mine (Kapnikbánya)




Calcite after Fluorite
Australia
Tasmania, Zeehan district, North Dundas, Renison Bell Mine




Calcite after Glauberite
Germany
Hesse, North Hesse, Werra Valley, Phillippsthal, Hattorf Potash Works




Calcite after Glauberite
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co., Camp Verde District

Calcite after Glauberite 4.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Calcite after Glauberite 8.3cm wide	© Karl Volkman

Calcite after Glauberite 4cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts

This locality has produced thousands of these specimens and I think you can still collect all of them that you want to bother picking up. In an effort to increase the sale of these items, the are sometimes soaked in a solution of copper sulfate or other chemicals to give them color and enhance their sails appeal to tourists. The last two examples, the blue/green ones, have been died to enhance their sale to tourists and the beginning collector. There are none of this color that occur naturally at the locality. There are very many of these around and that is why they are included here.


Calcite after Glauberite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Upper New Street Quarry (Burger's Quarry)



Casts of Quartz after glauberite (diamond shaped cavities) and after anhydrite (rectangular caviler) are found almost every where in the basalts of the Watchung Mountains of New Jersey. Casts of calcite after these minerals are much less common than the quartz casts. Those like these that are predominately may have a quartz component that predates the calcite.


Calcite after Gypsum
Romania
Maramures Co., Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)




Calcite after Halite
USA
Oklahoma, Major Co.





Calcite after Ikaite specimens have in some literature been given the name glendonites and other names as well. This large group of worldwide Calcite pseudomorphs after Ikaite have been described under a variety of different individual names, as will as being assigned various parentage. Many were consolidated under the name "Pseudogaylussite"(Von Calker 1897). However E. S. Dana(1884) while studing similar Calcite pseudos from Nevada, believed the precursor would be a mineral yet to be discovered. That material was finally located in a Greenland Fjord(Pauly 1963). It proved to be a thermally unstable, Calcium carbonate hexahedrite. He named it Ikaite, after the fjord. As it was a massive mineral, it did not create much interest among pseudomorph collectors, except in Russia(Kaplin 1978). The first Ikaite crystals were found in drill cores, extracted of the Bransfield Strait, Antartica. At tenperatures above 4-5 degrees Celsius, the Ikaite separated into a "Mush" of tiny Calcite crystals and water. Suess(1982), on the basis of crystal shape and the alteration to Calcite, he declared Ikaite to be the missing precusor for this group of pseudomorphs. He refered to the pseudos as being "Glendonites", a term being used for specimens of this type from nearby Australia. Some specimens show up due to the breakup of old collections. Russian and Australian pseudomorphs are still found on-line.

The decomposition/dehydration of a single Ikaite form, results in a large reduction in crystal volume. Many pseudo have a hard outer shell, with a spongy interior. It takes several additional cycles of Calcite deposition, to create a more solid form. Many World Wide sites for this pseudomorph type are known. Most are only of scientific intrest.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2010]

Calcite after Ikaite
Australia
New South Wales, Durham Co., Hunter Valley



The Australian Calcite pseudomorphs after Ikaite were first studied by the American J. D. Dana. He was carried as the Geologist aboard the Wilks Expoidition(1838-42), which sailed around the Pacific Rim . While exploring the Hunter Valley, N.S.W., he was presented several strange solid, dark brown crystals, by Mrs Robert Scott, of Glendon. Dana(1849) later described them as pseudomorphs, but it was David (1905) who officially called them “Glendonites”. Over 30 sites in Australia, have reported the pseudo, as singles, intergrowths, and rarer rounded clusters. Some elongated singles reached 60 Cm long. Most are no longer accessible due to urbanization, housing, vineyards, even being included in Parks. Occasionally they can be found available on-line.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2011]


Calcite after Ikaite
Canada
Northwest Territories




Calcite after Ikaite
Germany
Saxony-Anhalt, Sangerhausen

Calcite after Ikaite, largest ~2cm	© Jasun McAvoy

It was from this local, that this type of pseudomorph was first noted. Friesleben(1827) found small 10-15 mm, gray to tan, crystals in a sinkhole, near a mine he was inspecting. At Obersdorf, North-East of Sangerhausen. They occurred as singles, to rounded Crystal clusters. Friesleben named them “Gerstenkorner” (Barlycorn) Pseudomorphs.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2011]


Calcite after Ikaite
Japan
Honshu Island, Chubu region, Nagano prefecture, Godo



Single Calcite pseudomorphs after Ikaite are found at numerous sites in Japan, were they were often often condidered to be an archaeological artifacts. The pseudomorphs which often looked like the head of a stone tool reached sizes of 10-15 cm. They now carry the name “Gennou-ishi”(Hammerstone).


Calcite after Ikaite
Russia
Northern Region, Murmanskaja Oblast', Kola Peninsula, White Sea Coast, Olenitsa River

Calcite after Ikaite 10.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Calcite after Ikaite 1.75cm wide	© Wright's Rock Shop

Calcite after Ikaite 3cm	© Russell G. Rizzo

Of all the many Russian locals Olenitsa has been the most prolific commercial site. Litterally thousands of small solid, redish-brown, clusters, were extracted from beds and tital muds, at the mouth of the Olenitsa River, as it flows off the Kola Peminsula, into the White Sea. Nice elongated, tapering, crystal clusters to 15 Cms, were often left partially embedded in the gray clay, to create quite dramatic specimens. A baseball bat shaped single crystal to 25 Cms was noted. Fishermen had long been encountering the pseudomorphs, in their nets, when dredging the Sea floor. The finding of two intergrowen crystals, looking like a Cross, was considered to bring very good luck. The pseudo have often been called “White Sea Hornlets”.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2011]


Calcite after Ikaite
UK
England, Tyne & Wear, Jarrow Slake



Another old local was located while dredging the bottom of the Tyne Slake, a large Bay on the Tyne River, to allow oceangoing ships , access to the nearby Coal from Newcastle. The light tan, almost sandy, pseudomorphs , were found as singles, and groups up to about 4 cms. They were studied by Browell(1861) who named them “Jarrowites” after the nearby Jarrow Docks.


Calcite after Ikaite
USA
Alaska, North Slope Borough, Carter Creek



This remote Alaskan local was found, on a side gully, three miles up Carter Creek, which flows North into Camden Bay, on the Arctic Coast. The distinctive white, bladed clusters, weather out of siltstone outcrops at the head of the cut. During early summer, they were collected, as float, from a “Awfully soupy Mess”, along the floor of the gully. Many of the mud wrapped groups were badly corroded, but sharp clusters to about 18 cm and very rare singles to 22 cm have been found.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2011]



Calcite after Ikaite
USA
Washington, Grays Harbor Co.

Calcite after Ikaite ~40cm wide	© Leo Scarpelli

Calcite after Laumontite?
UK
England, Leicestershire, Croft, Croft Quarry




Calcite after Siderite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Calcite after water? & Fluorite
USA
Illinois, Hardin Co., Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Spar Mountain, Hastie's Quarry



It has been proposed that these balls of calcite were formed after water drops. Click on the image and read more about this.



Calderónite after?
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Iron Point District, Valmy, Silver Coin Mine




Cancrinite after Natrolite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Carminite after Bayldonite on Segnitite
UK
England, Cornwall, Mount's Bay District, St Hilary, Penberthy Croft Mine (Wheal Fancy)




Carminite after Duftite on Beudantite
Germany
Baden-Württemberg, Black Forest, Wolfach, Oberwolfach, Rankach valley, Clara Mine




Caryopilite after Galena?
Sweden
Värmland, Filipstad, Persberg district, Pajsberg, Harstigen Mine




Cassiterite after Orthoclase
Australia
Tasmania, Rossarden district, Rex Hill mine




Cassiterite after Orthoclase
UK
England, Cornwall, St Agnes District, St Agnes, Wheal Coates

Cassiterite after Orthoclase 3.4cm	© Paul De Bondt

Calcite after Orthoclase 1.97cm tall	© Jasun McAvoy

These are considered to be classics and have been around for a long time. They are still available from time to time but are no longer common.



Catapleiite after Eudialite & Serandite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Catapleiite after Eudialyite? and Franconite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Catapleiite after Petarasite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Catapleiite after Sodelite with Serandite & mangan-neptunite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry)




Cerussite after Anglesite
Australia
New South Wales, Yancowinna Co., Broken Hill, Block 14 Opencut




Cerussite after Anglesite
Australia
New South Wales, Yancowinna Co., Broken Hill, Kintore Opencut




Cerussite after Anglesite
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Ahumada, Los Lamentos Mts (Sierra de Los Lamentos)




Cerussite after Phosgenite
Italy
Sardinia, Carbonia-Iglesias Province, Iglesias, Monteponi Mine



These are pretty rare creatures. I have never seen a good one for sale.



Cerussite & Willemite after Descloizite
Iran
Esfahan Province (Isfahan Province; Aspadana Province), Anarak District, Chah Milleh (Chah-Mileh; Tchah-Mille), Chah Milleh Mine (Chah Mileh Mine; Tchah-Mille Mine)




Cervantite after ?
Germany
Baden-Württemberg, Black Forest, Wolfach, Oberwolfach, Rankach valley, Clara Mine




Cervantite after Stibnite
Mexico
San Luis Potosí



There are a number of localities that produce these kinds of pseudomorphs. Often you will see them labeled Stibiconite after Stibnite. Most of these are probably mixtures of more than one mineral after Stibnite. Sometimes they are very sharp and well formed.



Chalcoalumite after Devilline
UK
Wales, Gwynedd (Merionethshire), Dolgellau Gold Belt, Bontddu, Vigra Mine, Trial level




Chalcocite after Covellite
USA
Montana, Silver Bow Co., Butte District, Butte, East Colusa Mine




Chalcocite after Covellite
USA
Montana, Silver Bow Co., Butte District (Summit Valley District)

Chalcocite @ Covellite 11.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Chalcocite after wood
USA
New Mexico, Sandoval Co., San Pablo, Nacimiento Mine




Chalcocite after wood
USA
New Mexico, Torrance Co., Scholle, Abo Mine




Chalcocite after wood
USA
Texas, Clay Co.




Chalcopyrite after Betekhtinite
Kazakhstan
Karagandy Province (Qaragandy Oblysy; Karaganda Oblast'), Dzhezkazgan (Zhezqazghan), Dzhezkazgan Mine (Zhezqazghan Mine)




Chalcopyrite after Chalcocite
UK
England, Warwickshire, Nuneaton, Judkins Quarry




Charoite after Frankamenite?
Russia
Eastern-Siberian Region, Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Aldan Shield, Chara and Tokko Rivers Confluence, Murunskii Massif, Sirenevyi Kamen' Deposit, Vostochnyi (Eastern) area




Chlorite after Axinite
UK
England, Devon, Okehampton area (Northern Dartmoor), Meldon Aplite Quarry




Chlorite after Garnet with Stilbite
Sweden
Lappland, Gällivare, Malmberget




Chlorite after Garnet
USA
Michigan, Marquette Co., Marquette iron range, Michigamme

Chlorite after Garnet 3.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Chlorite after Garnet 6.1cm wide	© Eric Graff

Chlorite after Garnet 3.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

From time to time collectors have collected hundreds if not thousands of these crystals at this locality.



Chlorite after Magnetite
Austria
Tyrol, North Tyrol, Ziller valley




Chlorite after Magnetite
USA
New Hampshire, Grafton Co., Sugar Hill, Ore Hill




Chlorite after Phillipsite
Germany
Hesse, Odenwald, Reinheim, Roßdorf, Roßberg Quarry





There are many different minerals that Chrysocolla replaces as you can see from the varieties of these pseudomorphs presented below.

Chrysocolla after Anglesite
USA
Arizona, Graham Co. Aravaipa District, Santa Teresa Mts, Klondyke, Grand Reef Mountain, Laurel Canyon, Grand Reef Mine (Aravaipa Mine; Lead Jewel; Joe Rubal Mine; Vivian Mine; Calistoga Mining & Development Co. Mine; Bringham Silver and Lead Mine)




Chrysocolla after Aurichalcite
USA
Arizona, Gila Co., Dripping Spring Mts, Banner District, Hayden area, Chilito, 79 Mine (79th Mine; Seventy-Nine Mine; Seventy-Nine property; McHur prospect)




Chrysocolla after Azurite?
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Mashamba West Mine




Chrysocolla after Azurite?
USA
Arizona, Greenlee Co., Shannon Mts, Copper Mountain District (Clifton-Morenci District), Morenci, Morenci Mine (Morenci pit; Phelps Dodge Morenci Mine; Morenci-Metcalf)




Chrysocolla after Barite? with Malachite
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Mashamba West Mine




Chrysocolla after Bismutite
UK
England, Cornwall, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Illogan, Basset Mines, Wheal Basset




Chrysocolla after Boleite
Mexico
Baja Claifornia Sur, Mun. de Mulegé, Boleo District, Santa Rosalía (El Boleo)

Chrysocolla after Boleite 2cm wide	© C. Stefano '09

Chrysocolla after Boleite 1.7cm	© 2009 Michael C. Roarke

These are not common and very few specimens of this type of pseudomorph were produced, or perhaps it might be more accurate to say that few survived as specimens rather than going through the crusher. The most prolific specimen producing period was when the French mining company operated the mine in the 1800's. In the 1980s the a one of the mines was reminded strictly for Boleites and Cumengeites.


Chrysocolla after Brochantite
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Hansonburg District, Bingham




Chrysocolla after Gypsum?
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co., Dripping Spring Mts, Mineral Creek District (Ray District), Scott Mountain area, Ray Mine

Chrysocolla after Gypsum? 3cm tall	© 2002 John H. Betts

Chrysocolla after Gypsum 3.5cm tall	© Jasun McAvoy

Chrysocolla after Hemimorphite
USA
Arizona, Gila Co., Dripping Spring Mts, Banner District, Hayden area, Chilito, 79 Mine (79th Mine; Seventy-Nine Mine; Seventy-Nine property; McHur prospect)

Chrysocolla after Hemimorphite with Cerussite 5cm	©

Close up of left	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Chrysocolla after Langite
UK
Wales, Ceredigion (Dyfed; Cardiganshire), Llangynfelyn, Tre'r-ddol, Lodge Park Trial




Chrysocolla after Malachite
Australia
Queensland, Mt Isa - Cloncurry area, Cloncurry District, Cloncurry, Mt Glorious Mine




Chrysocolla after Malachite
Australia
Western Australia, Pilbara Region, Roebourne Shire, Whim Creek, Whim Creek Copper Mine (Whim Creek Copper prospect; Whim Well Mine)

Chrysocolla @ Malachite 2.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Chrysocolla after Malachite 4.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Chrysocolla after Malachite 5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Chrysocolla after Malacihte on Siderite
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Central area, Shinkolobwe




Chrysocolla after Malachite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Capoliveri, Cape Calamita Mine (Calamita Mine), Vallone stope




Chrysocolla after Veszelyite
UK
Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway (Dumfries-shire), Wanlockhead, Waygate Shaft (Straitstep Vein)

Chrysocolla@VeszelyiteFOV8mm	© Rust

Chrysocolla after ?
Chile
Atacama Region, Copiapó Province, Zapallar district, Los Azules area, Los Azules Mine




Chrysocolla after ? on Malachite
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Mashamba West Mine




Cinnabar after Gortdrumite and Grotdrumite
Austria
Salzburg, Saalfelden, Leogang, Hütten, Schwarzleograben, Schwarzleo District, Neuschurf adit




Chlorite after Aragonite with Calcite
Spain
Canary Islands, Las Palmas Province, Lanzarote, Playa Blanca, Punta del Aguila




Clarkite after gummite
USA
North Carolina, Yancey Co., Spruce Pine District, Celo, Micaville, Fanny Gouge Mine (Spruce Pine Mica Company No. 10 Mine)




clay after Halite
UK
England, South Gloucestershire (Bristol; Avon), Aust Cliff




Colemanite after Inyoite
USA
California, Inyo Co., Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek District (Furnace Creek Borate District), Black Mts, Corkscrew Canyon, Corkscrew Canyon Mine (Corkscrew Mine)

Colemanite after Inyoite 5.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Colemanite after Inyoite ~7.5cm wide	©

This mine is a real treasure chest of specimens. Everywhere you look there are open pockets of drusy Colemanite crystals that will sparkle from the reflection of your lamp. At various periods in years past the mine appeared to be abandoned and you could drive your car up to the adit and collect all the Colemanite specimens you could carry home. It is a small mine and though most of what you can find there is rather unremarkable drusy Colemanite specimens, you can sometimes find Colemanite after Inyoite, though often they are almost deformed beyond recognition. Often they are tinted brown with Todorokite. This is also the type locality for Nobleite and still I think the best location for this mineral.


Conichalcite after Azurite
Spain
Murcia, Pastrana, Mazarrón-Águilas, Dolores prospect




Copper after Aragonite
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Pacajes Province, Corocoro

Calcite after Aragonite ~2cm	© Joseph A. Freilich

Copper after Aragonite 2.4cm wide	© Lavinsky

Copper after Aragonite 2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Copper after Aragonite 3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

This mine has produced specimens of Copper after Aragonite for perhaps 100 years, and today it still produces specimens that the locals mine for sale as specimens if they can and for ore if all else fails. Frequently the mineralization is only skin deep with the bulk of the crystal still remaining as aragonite. In spite of a long history of specimens production fine examples of this pseudomorph are still sought after by collectors. The are not found in a naturally bright state as we see in some of the pictures above, but are commonly cleaned of oxides and clay to make the copper bright. Usually vinegar or citric acid is strong enough to accomplish the cleaning of these specimens.


Copper after Azurite
USA
Montana, Sanders Co., Noxon District




Copper after Azurite
USA
New Mexico, Grant Co., Georgetown District, Georgetown

Copper after Azurite 5.5cm wide	©

Copper after Azurite 3.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Copper after Azurite has been found at a number of localities, but those from Georgetown are usually considered to be the best and are still sought after by collectors.


Copper after Azurite
USA
New Mexico, Grant Co., Georgetown District, San Lorenzo, Copper Rose Mine (Rose Mine; McGregor Mine; Copper Glance Mine; Potosi Mine)




Copper after Cuprite
Namibia
Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Tsumeb



Copper after Cuprite
Namibia
Khomas Region, Windhoek District, Seeis, Ogonja (Onganja), Ogonja Mine (Onganja Mine)

Copper after Cuprite 1.5cm wide	© Jasun McAvoy

Copper after Cuprite
Russia
Western-Siberian Region, Altaiskii Krai, Rudnyi Altai, Rubtsovskoe Cu-Zn-Pb deposit

We don't have any pictures yet of these in the database, but when some show up there, we will include images of them here. They are hands down the best copper pseudomorphs after cuprite by perhaps an order of magnitude. I saw one that was sharp and I think about 5 cm in diameter. Many collectors would murder their grandmothers for one of these.


Copper after Cuprite
USA
Arizona, Cochise Co., Mule Mts, Warren District, Bisbee area




Copper after drill-bit
USA
Michigan, Houghton Co.




Copper after round rock
USA
Michigan, Houghton Co., Calumet Township, Calumet, Calumet & Hecla Mine

Copper after round rock 3.1 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

These are commonly called copper skulls by collectors and to the best of my knowledge are only known from the mines in Michigan. The copper appears to have formed around round rocks and small boulders in the conglomerate rock formations found in some of the mines. Sometimes they have been found larger than 20 cm in diameter. The copper mines in Michigan are closed and there are none left that produce copper for smelting, but never the less specimens continue to trickle out of the region because of hard working field collectors.


Copper after wood
Cyprus island
We appear to have no images of wood replacing Cyprus in the database at this time, but some of the mines in Cyprus have produced spectacular copper pseudomorphs after wood.


Copper after wood
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co., Dripping Spring Mts, Mineral Creek District (Ray District), Scott Mountain area, Ray Mine

Copper after wood, end view- left	© Rob Lavinsky

Corkite after Pyromorphite
Australia
New South Wales, Yancowinna Co., Broken Hill, Kintore Opencut




Cornubite after Azurite
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Antelope District, Majuba Hill Mine (Mylar Mine), Copper Stope

Close up of left	©

Cornubite after Mimetite?
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Bergisches Land, Rösrath, Hoffnungsthal, Leibnitz-Dante Mine




Cornubite after Olivenite with Azurite
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Bergisches Land, Hoffnungsthal, Rösrath, Leibnitz-Dante Mine




Covellite after Bismuthinite
Portugal
Vila Real District, Montalegre, Borralha Mine




Crandallite after Fluellite
Spain
Navarre, Esteribar, Eugui, Azcárate Quarry

Crandallite @ Fluellite, closeup left	© fabre

Crandallite & Wardite after Variscite
USA
Utah, Utah Co., Oquirrh Mts, Fairfield, Clay Canyon



Crandallite is the yellow mineral associated with the green Variscite and the Gray Wardite and I think is present in every single nodule of Fairfield Variscite.


Crandallite after Wavellite
Australia
South Australia, Mt Lofty Ranges, North Mt Lofty Ranges, Kapunda, Tom's Phosphate quarry (Tom's quarry)




Crandallite after Wavellite?
Russia
Urals Region, Southern Urals, Chelyabinsk Oblast', Chebarkul', Zauralovo, Temir Mt. quarry




Cryptomelane/Lithiophorite after plant root
Spain
Castile-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Pozuelo, El Chorrillo mines




Cuproroméite after Chalcostibite
Kyrgyzstan
Jalal-Abad Oblast, Chatkal region, Tereksai (Terek-Saj)

Cuproroméite @ Chalcostibite 2.5cm	© Kartashov

Cuprotungstite after Scheelite
Germany
Baden-Württemberg, Black Forest, Wolfach, Oberwolfach, Rankach valley, Clara Mine




Cyanochroite after Piypite
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Kamchatka Oblast', Tolbachik volcano, Great Fissure (Main Fracture) eruption, Northern Breakthrough (North Breach), Second scoria cone




Cymatolite after Spodumene
USA
New Hampshire, Strafford Co., Strafford, Parker Mt, Parker Mountain Pegmatite Quarry (Buzzo Quarry; Buzzo Mine)

Cymatolite @ Spodumene 3.2cm	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements N to P. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements Quartz. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.



Images last selected December 2010 sorting on "after".

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.



Edited 25 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2012 07:04PM by Rock Currier.

Rock:

Great stuff, as always. I noticed one small hiccup when going through, though: there's no photo currently associated with "Copper after Cuprite"
for Bisbee, just the placeholder and size label. After taking a look through the Bisbee coppers, I presume you intended to use this one:
[www.mindat.org]

At some point I'm sure the brain-frying copper pseudos after cuprite from Rubtsovskoe will make an appearance in this section, but I was surprised to see there aren't any in the database yet. I have a nice partial replacement of cuprite by copper that also includes silver, but it's neither anywhere near the class of specimens on display at the Main Show in Tucson this year, nor is it currently photographed! I did take a few picutres of that case at Tucson, but unfortunately the shots were poorly lit and really not up to snuff.

Cheers,
D.

Don,
Thanks for comments. I am still working on these pseudomorph articles. Right now they are not much more than picture galleries of pseudomorphs. I just got through adding in about 300 more of them by searching our database on replaced, replacing, altered and altering. Now I am in the process of going through the articles and catching glitches like the one you pointed out and making all the images look the same size more or less and bringing the format into alignment with the other articles. When this get done I will go back through the articles and add the little I know about them to text blocks below the images. Perhaps another two weeks of work if all goes well.

I have a friend who each year for the last 20 years at Tucson, has wangled his way into the show during setup and taken pictures of all the good stuff while it was being put on display. I am trying to get him to break loose of these long enough to get them digitized so I can upload them to Mindat. This would include those great new cuprites that you are talking about. I saw a couple of them that were even better than the ones that were on display. Don't know if I will be able to get them for Mindat or not. They went into a black hole.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Calcite after Ikaite - Australia

Rock here is some more stuff on glendonites:

The decomposition/dehydration of a single Ikaite form, results in a large reduction in crystal volume. Many pseudo have a hard outer shell, with a spongy interior. It takes several additional cycles of Calcite deposition, to create a more solid form. Many World Wide sites for this pseudo type are known. Most are only of scientific intrest. Some lost local specimens show up due to the breakup of old collections. Russian and Australian pseudomorphs are still found on-line.

Calcite photo from Aklavik, Canada – after Gaylussite, reclassify to after Ikaite.

Calcite photo from Sangerhaussen -- after Gaylussite, reclassify to after Ikaite. It was from this local, that this pseudo type was first noted. Friesleben(1827) found Small, 10-15 mm, gray to tan, crystals in a sinkhole, near a mine he was inspecting

At Obersdorf, North-East of Sangerhausen. They occurred as singles, to rounded Crystal clusters. He named them “Gerstenkorner”(Barlycorn) Pseudomorphs.

The Australian pseudos were first studied by the American J. D. Dana. He was carried as the Geologist aboard the Wilks Expoidition(1838-42), which sailed around the Pacific Rim . While exploring the Hunter Valley, N.S.W., he was presented several strange solid, dark brown crystals, by Mrs Robert Scott, of Glendon. Dana(1849) later described then as pseudomorphs, but it was David(1905) who officially called them “Glendonites”. Over 30 sites in Australia, have reported the pseudo, as singles, intergrowths, and rarer rounded clusters. Some elongated singles reached 60 Cm long. Most are no longer accessible due to urbanization, housing, vineyards, even being included in Parks. Occasionally found On-line.

Japan – Single pseudo crystals from numerous sites in Japan, were often condidered to be an archaeological artifact. The pseudo, to 10-15 Cms, looked like the head of a stone tool. They now carry the name “Gennou-ishi”(Hammerstone)

Russia, Karelia. Agree with Stepan Koch, not a pseudo after Ikaite. Wrong crystal shape.
First photo under Olenitsa, by Griff, wrong color, crystal shape and was vugy not solid.
Likely from Khatanga, on the Taimyr Peninsula, Russia.

Of all the many Russian locals Olenitsa has been the most prolific commercial site. Litterally thousands of small solid, redish-brown, clusters, were extracted from beds and tital muds, at the mouth of the Olenitsa River, as it flows off the Kola Peminsula, into the White Sea. Nice elongated, tapering, crystal clusters to 15 Cms, were often left partially embedded in the gray clay, to create quite dramatic specimens. A baseball bat shaped single crystal to 25 Cms was noted. Fishermen had long been encountering the pseudos, in their nets, when dredging the Sea floor. The finding of two intergrowen crystals, looking like a Cross, was considered to bring very good luck. The pseudo have often been called “White Sea Hornlets”.

Alaska – This remote Alaskan local was found, on a side gully, three miles up Carter Creek, which flows North into Camden Bay, on the Arctic Coast. The distinctive white, bladed clusters, weather out of siltstone outcrops at the head of the cut. During early summer, they were collected, as float, from a “Awfully soupy Mess”, along the floor of the gully. Many of the mud wrapped groups were badly corroded, but sharp clusters to about 18 Cms and very rare singles to 22 Cms , have been found.

England – Another old local was located while dredging the bottom of the Tyne Slake, a large Bay on the Tyne River, to allow oceangoing ships , access to the nearby Coal from Newcastle. The light tan, almost sandy, pseudomorphs , were found as singles, and groups up to about 4 Cms. They were studied by Browell(1861) who named them “Jarrowites” after the nearby Jarrow Docks.

Will see if I can get Leo to writeup his Washington Site


More to come.
Keith Harshbarger [2011]

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Kieth,
I hope you will really keep this kind of "stuff" coming. It sounds to me that you should be writing this article rather than me, but Ill take as much information as you have the time to provide and put it in the article, and if you provide enough of it, Ill take my name off the article and put yours there in instead.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Since a very short time I became a member of a mineral working group of the Dutch Geological Association (Stichting GEA) for amateur geologists. They asked me to write a article on pseudomorphs. I discovered that there are no scientificaly based data on pseudomorphs. So there is no proof, only photo's or texts, about the existance of pseudomorphs in mineralogy. There is no international acknowledged institution with scientificaly based data on pseudomorphs, so there is a great risk that data produced in the past are fake, faked or falsified! Anyway all those data are not validated and because of that in principle worthless.
My proposal would be to do real scientific research on pseudomorphs, spondored by companies like Shell or by well known geological institutes.

Jozef,
A most admiral ambition. Usually when submitting requests for funding to these institutions they like to see proposals to do work that could eventually have results that will have real world applications with possible payoffs in terms of additional revenue. I would be curious as to your ideas abut how to relate studies of pseudomorphs to real world results and benefits. Minerals for in the earth under particular sets of physical conditions, and when those conditions change, so often do the minerals. Formation and decomposition of hydro methane would probably interest them, possibly the formation of Ikaite as a sink for carbon? You can probably think of many others.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.