Carrollite

specimen number:
2062483

location:
Kamoto Principal Mine, Mutshatsha, Lualaba, DR Congo

description:
A sharp lustrous octahedral metallic crystal of carrollite 1.2 cm across on a massive calcite matrix. In excellent condition. Choice miniature for the species.

The Kamoto Principal Mine, located in the Lualaba Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo near Kolwezi, is a prominent underground and historical open-pit operation within the world-famous Katanga Copperbelt. Initial discovery of the deposit occurred in 1942, leading to open-pit operations beginning in 1948 and underground development transitioning through the 1960s with full commercial production ramping up by 1969. The mine experienced a temporary closure in October 1990 due to economic and operational challenges before being extensively rehabilitated and reopened in the late 2000s, remaining an active primary global source for copper and cobalt. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Mines Subgroup, characterized by stratiform copper and cobalt sulfide mineralization trapped in folded dolomitic shales and siltstones. The deposit is notably celebrated by mineralogists for yielding exceptional specimens of carrollite, a metallic sulfide mineral that frequently forms sharp, distinct octahedral crystals embedded within the rich sulfide-bearing ore zones.

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