META-TORBERNITE
Specimen met-4

Dims: 1-5/8" x 1-3/8" x 1"

Wt: 1.24 oz

Musonoi Open Pit, Shaba Province, Zaire

This specimen from the famous Zairean locality at Shaba boasts deep green, tabular prisms that measure up to about 1/8 inch in diameter. The crystals are packed tightly enough to form a crust over part of the host rock's surface, and veins of the mineral can be seen invading it on the rest of the surface. The green color is very pretty, and though the crystal form isn't highly defined, it is easily discernable, and almost produces a "moss" effect. Besides, it's radioactive, and that's really cool(or, HOT)!

Dims: 2-1/2" x 1-1/16" x 1/4"

Wt: 14.1 g2-1/2

(near Crown King) Bradshaw Mts., Yavapai Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

This little specimen consists of tiny, opaque, grass-green crystals of Meta-torbernite spread on a chalky, black and yellow matrix like green sawdust. It is difficult but not impossible to determine individual crystals with the naked eye. It is most impressive that this specimen comes from Arizona, which is not a place known for producing such material.

Dims: 3.4 x 2.2 x 0.9" (8.7 x 5.7 x 2.2 cm)

Wt: 3.1 oz. (88 g)

near Crown King, Bradshaw Mountains, Maricopa County, Arizona, U.S.A.

Scores of tiny pale-green Metatorbernite tablets are scattered on the chalky, mica-laden base of this small cabinet specimen. These blades do not exceed 1 or 2 mm in diameter but are in very good condition. Their tetragonal tabular form is standard for the specie and denotes pseudomorphism from torbernite. All have a pale green coloration and a pearly luster, and are translucent.

Dims: 2.1 x 1.6 x 0.5" (5.4 x 4.2 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 1.0 oz. (27 g)

near Crown King, Bradshaw Mountains, Yavapai County, Arizona, U.S.A.

Hundreds of tiny Metatorbernites cover part of the pale brown base of this hand specimen. These crystals do not exceed 1 mm in diameter but are generally in excellent condition and have excellent tetragonal tabular form. Their grass-green color is paler than that of torbernite, though their pearly luster is nearly the same, and they are translucent.

Dims: 2.3 x 1.7 x 1.5" (5.9 x 4.3 x 3.8 cm)

Wt: 2.8 oz. (79 g)

Musonoi Extension, Shaba Province, Zaire

A cluster of 20 or 30 Meta-Torbernite tablets rests on the pale base rock of this hand specimen. These tabular crystals reach diameters of 0.2" (5 mm) and are in moderately good condition; oddly, the largest crystals are intact and the smaller ones are damaged or broken. All have the standard tetragonal tabular form, though the crystals seem to be slightly aggregated besides their intersection. All have the standard forest-green coloration and pearly-to-vitreous luster and are at least dimly transparent. There appear to be 2 distinct minerals present, as there are 2 different crystalline habits and 2 different shades of green visible. Along with these is a massive, dull black material that I cannot identify- it may be some sort of uranium mineral.

Dims: 1.3 x 1.3 x 1.1" (3.4 x 3.4 x 2.7 cm)

Wt: 1.3 oz. (36 g)

near Crown King, Bradshaw Mountains, Maricopa County, Arizona, U.S.A.

A dusting of tiny Meta-torbernite crystals rests on the quartz base of this hand specimen. These crystals appear to be in excellent condition and are tiny, not reaching 1 mm in diameter. All have the standard pale green color and pearly luster of their specie, and - when studied through a loupe - show the classic tetragonal tabular form. The base, upon closer study, actually appears to be a mixture of white granite or syenite and layers of intensely-packed quartz crystals.

Dims:3.1x1.7x1.1" (7.9x4.3x2.8 cm)

Wt: 3.4oz. (95g)

Near Crown King, Bradshaw Mountains, Yavapai cty., Arizona

This specimen consists of a crust of meta-torbernite crystals partially covering one face of a light-colored host rock. The host rock is embedded with flakes of mica and blebs of quartz. A few meta-torbernite crystals are visible when viewed with a standard 10x loupe; the characteristic tetragonal form is evident when viewed thus.

Dims:1.9x1.9x1.7" (4.8x4.8x4.3 cm)

Wt: 3.2oz. (90g)

Musonoie Mine, Kolwezi, Zaire

Vugs in the matrix of this specimen are filled with dark green sheaves of metatorbernite crystals. These crystals show excellent form. When i examined this specimen with a loupe, I could only find 2 crystals (out of dozens) that were chipped. This lack of damage is unusual for these slender, fragile plates. This , then, is an excellent specimen.