THOROGUMMITE
Specimen thg-1
$ 30.00Dims: 1.5 x 1.2 x 0.8" (3.8 x 3.0 x 2.0 cm)
Wt: 1.04 oz. (29.4 g)
Betafo-war, Fort Dasphin, Madagascar
This rather nondescript thumbnail specimen consists of a formless chunk of Thorogummite, in which a few bits of calcite are intermixed. The Thorogummite appears to have been crushed and cemented back together prior to mining, or is simply intensely internally-fractured, it is difficult to tell which. There is no evidence of any crystal form (which is actually a characteristic of this mineral), and all surfaces have a curved, almost conchoidal appearance. The material ranges in coloration from a dark olive-green to brown to black and has a dull vitreous luster. Small portions are translucent or even transparent, but these do not exceed 3 mm in diameter. The associated calcite is massive, milky-white in coloration, and has a dull waxy luster.