Karavatu Mine, Uris Farm 481, Guinas, Oshikoto Region, Namibia

Descloizite crystals on quartz from Karavatu mine. Collection and photo Giovanni Fraccaro.

© Giovanni Fraccaro

An extremely rare and excellent mottramite specimen from a very obscure mine near Tsumeb. It was a shallow open pit mined occasionally between 1919 - 1943 (MINDAT). Plumose sprays of olive-green microcrystals comprise this sculptural piece. It looks like Tsumeb, but it's not. The large format and excellent 2008 book: Namibia Minerals and ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

September 2007. The Karavatu mine is an old copper mine between Otavi and Tsumeb, in the private property of the !Uris Safari Lodge. Photo by Giovanni and Laura Fraccaro.

© Giovanni Fraccaro

September 2007. Photo by Giovanni and Laura Fraccaro.

© Giovanni Fraccaro

September 2007. Photo by Giovanni and Laura Fraccaro.

© Giovanni Fraccaro

September 2007. The dump. Photo by Giovanni and Laura Fraccaro.

© Giovanni Fraccaro