Meyerhofferite

specimen number:
2354042

location:
Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Inyo Co., California, USA

description:
A good example for the species, many fine prismatic colorless and gemmy crystals of meyerhofferite measuring to 2.0 cm in length throughout this matrix. In good condition.

Located in Death Valley, Inyo County, California, Twenty Mule Team Canyon is situated within the Miocene-aged Furnace Creek Formation, a lacustrine sedimentary deposit rich in borates that was extensively prospected and mined for borax during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Named after the iconic mule teams used to haul ore across the desert, the canyon became a world-class locality for collectors following the discovery of exquisite specimens of meyerhofferite, a hydrated calcium borate mineral. This rare mineral typically occurs as striking colorless to white prismatic crystals, complex twin formations, and delicate fibrous clusters preserved within the oxidized sedimentary beds of the ancient dry lake environment.

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