Wulfenite with Drusy Quartz
Mfouati, Mfouati District,
Bouenza Department, Republic of the Congo
7.6 cm wide x 5.1 cm tall
Ex-collection Scott Rudolph
A large, sharply defined tabular wulfenite crystal dominates the specimen, displaying the classic square, beveled form characteristic of the species. Its rich honey- to golden-orange color glows through a delicate coating of fine drusy quartz, producing a soft, frosted appearance while allowing the wulfenite crystal to remain clearly defined beneath. The quartz coating adds thousands of tiny scintillating points that catch the light from every angle.
There are several more wulfenites similarly dusted with drusy quartz, adding balance and visual interest to the composition. The wulfenite crystals rise from a matrix completely carpeted with sparkling microcrystalline quartz, creating a textured, glittering foundation in shades of white to light gray. The contrast between the crisp geometric faces of the wulfenite and the delicate crystalline druse gives the specimen exceptional aesthetic appeal. Rather than obscuring the wulfenite, the quartz coating softens its surfaces and enhances the overall brilliance, creating an elegant interplay of color, texture, and sparkle.
This remarkable drusy quartz-coated wulfenite originates from a small pocket discovered in the 1960s. Only a handful of specimens were recovered, making examples from this find exceptionally rare.
Drusy quartz-coated wulfenite is known from only one other locality worldwide—the Barking Spider (Finch) Mine in Gila County, Arizona. Specimens from that occurrence are much smaller than those from this extraordinary find.
This specimen It is widely recognized as one of the finest specimens from this historic discovery.