Vanadinite

Vanadinite from Apache Mine, Gila County, Arizona, USA, measuring 60 × 29 × 35 mm and weighing 90 grams. The specimen shows reddish mineral development across a contrasting paler matrix. It is an Arizona locality specimen with a distinct appearance and a mine-level attribution, offering a useful comparison with Vanadinite from other regions.

Vanadinite combines lead, vanadium, oxygen and chloride in a member of the Apatite group. It is a secondary mineral associated with oxidised lead-bearing deposits. The relationship with minerals such as Pyromorphite is a rewarding one for collectors, because closely related structures can accommodate different chemical groups and produce specimens with quite different visual characters.

Apache Mine is the supplied source within Gila County. That precise locality gives the piece its place in an Arizona group rather than treating it as simply another example of a widely collected species. The 60 mm length and narrower 29 mm dimension describe a manageable specimen whose mineral-to-matrix contrast can be appreciated from several angles. The provenance records the David Vince and Ruth Coulsell collections. Those names preserve the specimen's collecting connections alongside its mine locality. It is a compact subject with several strands of interest: an American occurrence, a familiar but chemically distinctive lead mineral and a documented collection history, all retained without losing the individuality of the piece.