Leadhillite - USA classic
Beer Cellar Mine, Newton County, Granby
Missouri, United States
3.6 x 3.1 x 2.5 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $2400
Early summer 2023
A very rare classic example of this uncommon mineral from the long gone Beer Cellar Mine. Nicely crystalized with several habits showing but mostly the flat hexagonal type protected in a vug along with tiny Hemimorphite blades. Leadhillite is only known from a small number of localities worldwide, one of the most legendary finds was this very small one in 1895. This was also the last time the mineral was found in this entire region. From an old French collection, this was probably one of the few specimens that were collected by AE Foote and sold in his French shop at that time. This specimen is certainly not pretty (except to lovers of rare Lead minerals) and is not the coveted blue green color. It is also not over 20,000 USD (as have been the last ones in this size to be auctioned). These crystals are a good pearly white, mostly about 3-4 MM but one is about 1 CM across. Two faces of this cherty Dolomite matrix host the Leadhillites with the largest zone being 2.8 CM across. While not conventionally pretty this is a real holy grail for Tri-state and Lead secondary collectors. Such classics are almost never available and always greatly prized.
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Leadhillite - USA classic
Beer Cellar Mine, Newton County, Granby
Missouri, United States
3.6 x 3.1 x 2.5 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $2400
Early summer 2023
A very rare classic example of this uncommon mineral from the long gone Beer Cellar Mine. Nicely crystalized with several habits showing but mostly the flat hexagonal type protected in a vug along with tiny Hemimorphite blades. Leadhillite is only known from a small number of localities worldwide, one of the most legendary finds was this very small one in 1895. This was also the last time the mineral was found in this entire region. From an old French collection, this was probably one of the few specimens that were collected by AE Foote and sold in his French shop at that time. This specimen is certainly not pretty (except to lovers of rare Lead minerals) and is not the coveted blue green color. It is also not over 20,000 USD (as have been the last ones in this size to be auctioned). These crystals are a good pearly white, mostly about 3-4 MM but one is about 1 CM across. Two faces of this cherty Dolomite matrix host the Leadhillites with the largest zone being 2.8 CM across. While not conventionally pretty this is a real holy grail for Tri-state and Lead secondary collectors. Such classics are almost never available and always greatly prized.
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