Shattuckite

specimen number:
2063640

location:
Kaokoveld, Kunene, Namibia

description:
Showy example for the species with radiating blue crystallized shattuckite, these also forming balls of crystals, with very little attached matrix. Micro-damage present but very minimal. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The Kaokoveld Plateau in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia features complex secondary copper deposits hosted within Neoproterozoic carbonate rocks of the Otavi Group. Hydrothermal fluids enriched the regional limestones with primary copper sulfides, which subsequently underwent intense near-surface oxidation in the arid desert environment to produce a world-class suite of secondary copper silicate and carbonate minerals. Mining across the rugged plateau is predominantly conducted on a small scale by local prospectors and artisanal miners, who hand-work small pits and surface workings such as Kandesei, Omaue, and Otuani to extract high-quality display specimens for the international collector market. In this region, shattuckite occurs as a secondary copper silicate mineral, highly valued by collectors for its striking royal blue to turquoise-blue color. It typically forms radial fibrous sprays, botryoidal crusts, and velvety spherical aggregates, often occurring on matrix or embedded inside quartz crystals alongside contrasting minerals like deep green dioptase, malachite, and chrysocolla.

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