Tantalite-(Fe): Komu Mine, Oke-Ogun Pegmatite District, Oyo State, Nigeria

Description

Species: Tantalite-(Fe)

Locality: Komu Mine, Oke-Ogun Pegmatite District, Oyo State, Nigeria

Size: 5.3 x 7.4 x 3.9 cm. (466 grams)

For your consideration is this very nice large orthorhombic crystal of jet-black Tantalite-(Fe) from a new find at the Komu mine, Oke-Ogun Pegmatite District, Oyo State, Nigeria. While pegmatites occur throughout the precambrian basement rocks of Nigeria and are known for world-class crystals of tourmaline, emerald, phenakite and more, good specimens are seldom seen for sale of the rarer species. I am working with a Nigerian source to offer some unusual mineral ‘direct from the mine’, and these new tantalite crystals from the Komu mine are quite nice! This one has some unidentified secondary yellow and orange U minerals with it as well. There is also a prismatic yellow bismutite(?) psuedomorph as you can see on one side. Rare!!