Ferberite

specimen number:
2063637

location:
Tazna Mine, Cotagaita, Nor Chichas, Potosi, Bolivia

description:
A lustrous blocky grouping of twinned of ferberite crystals with little attached crystallized quartz. Slight damage present as seen, nice example for the species and locality. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Located in the Cordillera Oriental of the Bolivian Andes, the Tazna Mine (also known as Tasna) at Cerro Tazna in Nor Chichas Province, Potosi, is situated within a complex hydrothermal polymetallic deposit set in Ordovician metasedimentary rocks and hornfels surrounding a Tertiary quartz porphyry intrusion. The district is historically renowned for its extensive network of high-grade bismuth and tungsten veins, along with significant tin, gold, and copper mineralisation. Mining operations began in earnest prior to the late nineteenth century and expanded through the twentieth century under underground and cooperative ventures. Tazna achieved legendary status among mineral collectors for producing world-class native bismuth specimens displaying well-formed skeletal and hoppered crystals, along with exceptional crystals of ferberite, arsenopyrite, cassiterite, and rare bismuth sulfosalts.

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