Bustamite

specimen number:
2062459

location:
Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

description:
Good example for the species, slightly translucent semi lustrous crystals to 0.9 cm in size on matrix. In good condition.

Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia, is home to the longest-lived mining operation in the country, officially beginning when boundary rider Charles Rasp staked a claim on the outcrop in September 1883. Large-scale mining commenced shortly after with the formation of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) in 1885. While individual major lodes and historic sections phased out or closed across the 20th century (with BHP departing in 1939 and primary underground operations scaling back significantly by the late 1970s), specialized mining and exploration continue in the region today. Geologically, the deposit originated approximately 1.7 billion years ago when underwater volcanic activity discharged metal-rich fluids onto the seafloor, forming a massive, boomerang-shaped ore body known as the Line of Lode that was subsequently shaped by intense regional metamorphism. This complex geological environment produced a remarkably diverse assemblage of mineral specimens, including notable quantities of bustamite, an attractive silicate mineral often prized by collectors for its distinct pink to reddish coloration and crystalline structure within the local metamorphic rock matrices.

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