Cerussite

specimen number:
2063842

location:
Mammoth-St. Anthony Mine, Tiger, Arizona, USA

description:
A loose glassy translucent crystal of cerussite. Slight matrix attached on the termination. Minimal micro-damage present. Nice large crystal making for a good thumbnail for this classic Arizona locality.

The Mammoth-St. Anthony Mine at Tiger, located in Pinal County, Arizona, is world-renowned for its extraordinary secondary mineral assemblages formed within a complex hydrothermal vein system. Originally developed in the 1880s as a gold mine, the operation later expanded into a major producer of lead, zinc, molybdenum, and vanadium through deep shaft mining that continued into the mid-twentieth century. The deposit sits in oxidized Tertiary volcanic rocks where circulating groundwater reacted with primary sulfide ores, creating a incredibly diverse oxidation zone. Mineral collectors celebrate Tiger as the type locality for several rare species, most notably magnificent, bright red crystals of wulfenite, brilliant blue linarite, delicate fibers of diaboleite, and lustrous leadhillite. Although underground mining ceased in the 1950s and the site was subsequently reclaimed, specimens from the Mammoth-St. Anthony Mine remain among the most highly prized treasures in classic American mineralogy.

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