Cassiterite

specimen number:
2063233

location:
Huanuni mine, Pantaleon Dalence, Oruro, Bolivia

description:
A grouping of lustrous black sharply formed crystals of cassiterite with little attached matrix. In good condition. Classic for the species and locality. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The Huanuni mine, situated in the Pantaleon Dalence Province of Oruro, Bolivia, is world-renowned as one of the richest tin deposits on Earth. Located along the Bolivian Tin Belt within Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, the deposit consists of complex hydrothermal vein systems enriched in tin along with silver, lead, zinc, and iron. Discovered in the mid 1700s, the mine was originally exploited for silver before transitioning to tin production in the late nineteenth century, eventually becoming a centerpiece of modern Bolivian state mining operations. For mineral collectors, Huanuni is celebrated globally for producing world-class mineral specimens, most notably superb dark green ludlamite crystal aggregates, gemmy vivianite, lustrous twinned black cassiterite, and rare phosphate species like aheylite.

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