Zálesíite & Rutile

Outstanding micromount of zalesiite from the Tucumana district in Chile, a well-known locality for secondary copper–arsenic minerals displaying spectacular microscopic crystal habits.
The specimen shows delicate spherical sprays of extremely fine acicular crystals arranged in radiating bundles, exhibiting a bright pale green to yellowish-green coloration. These silky, almost feathery aggregates contrast strongly with the underlying rutile crystals, which are prismatic, reddish-brown to golden-brown, with sharp longitudinal striations and a submetallic luster.
The zalesiite forms crowns and tufts around the terminations and edges of the rutile prisms, creating a highly dynamic crystalline scene in which the extreme fineness of the green needles highlights the robust morphology of the brown crystals. The light-colored, probably quartz-rich matrix is dotted with small yellowish micro-concretions, adding visual complexity and depth.
This zalesiite–rutile association represents a rare and very aesthetic paragenesis, perfectly suited for high-magnification study and macro mineral photography.

In a box 2.8x2.8cm, labelled

FoV : 2.5mm