This flat presents an extensive and visually very diverse assemblage of Osarizawaite, Philipsbornite and Parnauite crystals from the well known Grandview Mine in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA. The individual specimens display mainly greenish, turquoise to yellowish green mineral coatings and crystalline aggregates on light brown to grey matrix. Several pieces show clearly recognizable crystalline structures, mostly as fine crusts, granular aggregates or dense crystal coatings, while other specimens exhibit broader mineral surfaces with pronounced color zoning. The strong color variety and the different textures make the flat mineralogically highly diverse and visually very appealing.
Geology & Origin
The Grandview Mine is regarded as a classic locality for rare secondary phosphate and arsenate minerals formed within the oxidized zone of copper and lead rich ore veins. Osarizawaite, Philipsbornite and Parnauite crystallize through complex weathering and remobilization processes, during which metal bearing solutions precipitate within fractures and cavities of the host rock. The arid climate of the Grand Canyon favors the stability of these secondary mineral phases. The locality is known worldwide for its high paragenetic diversity and produces characteristic micromount and small suite specimens with significant mineralogical relevance.