Cerussite

specimen number:
2063761

location:
79 Mine, Gila Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Good locality example for the species, white sparkling twinned crystals of cerussite to 0.5 cm in size scattered nicely across the top of a limonite matrix. In great condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark. He collected the piece in February, 1995.

The 79 Mine, located in the Banner District of Gila County, Arizona, is a historic lead, zinc, copper, and silver deposit renowned for producing exceptional mineral specimens. First staked in 1879, the underground mine operated periodically through the mid twentieth century, with primary commercial production yielding significant tonnage of lead and zinc ores hosted within Paleozoic carbonate rocks. Geologically, complex hydrothermal replacement deposits and extensive secondary oxidation created a rich variety of colorful minerals in fractured limestone and shale. Mine collectors and mineralogists celebrated the locality for world class specimens of bright green wulfenite, radiant sky blue aurichalcite, lustrous hemimorphite, vibrant blue smithsonite, and translucent cerussite. Although commercial mining has long ended, the 79 Mine holds a distinguished place in southwestern American mineral collecting history due to its classic oxidized zone mineral suites.

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