Arseniate of Lime, or Pharmacolite

The rarity of this substance gives value to a figure, as few can have good specimens, being only found at Witerhen in Swabia; and the peculiar beauty of it, either in the very white delicately radiating clusters of crystals shining with a silky gloss, more or less relieved by the Arseniate of Cobalt, or in the more solid spherules slightly coloured, as in the lower specimen, where the deeper or redder coloured ones passing to minute make it a pleasing object.

It is more or less transparent, very soft; Spec. Grav. 2.64 to 2.536.

It is found in veins in granitic rocks. The matrix of the present upper specimen is plated, rather massive Sulpliate of Barytes, a little coloured, upon Granite in a state of decomposition, and which contains Talc and a sort of Semi-opal; see the brown shining parts. In the lower figure, pure Arseniale of Cobalt conceals the greater part of the matrix, the character of which is otherwise much disguised; it consists principally of Grey Cobalt Ore. Both these specimens enrich the cabinet of the British Museum.