Beautiful full spherical and radiating crystal groups of Cacoxenite less than 1mm in size on a red iron-oxide matrix. It is not as rich as some of the others in this update.
The specimen was collected by the late Don Owens. Don was prolific mineral collector, who was a member of the "Coon Creek Association", which also included some of the best mineralogists of our time: Mike Howard, the late Henry de Linde, the late Al Kidwell, the late Art Smith, and Buford Nichols. I never had the pleasure of meeting Don, however Henry de Linde hosted me while I viewed his collection several years ago. The other Union Carbide specimens in this Special Edition were also collected by Don Owens.
Cacoxenite
Formula
(Fe3+)24AlO6(PO4)17(OH)12·75H2O
Crystal System
Hexagonal
Crystal Habit
Radial, Acicular, Stellate
Cleavage
None, None, None
Luster
Silky
Color
brownish yellow, green, yellow, golden yellow, red yellow