Fluorite with Marcasite

specimen number:
2062499

location:
Silius, South Sardinia Province, Sardinia, Italy

description:
An unusual locality example for the species, this a cluster of lustrous highly translucent cubic fluorite crystals without any attached matrix. Small crystals of marcasite are scattered throughout. This is in great condition. At one time part of the collection of Al and Betty Tlush with their label. Note that the previous labels give an incorrect locality.

The Silius mine, located in the Gerrei region of southeastern Sardinia, Italy, is famous for hosting one of the largest acid-grade fluorspar deposits in Europe. Industrial mining operations at the site significantly developed during the 20th century, experienced a temporary cessation of extraction around 2006, and have since seen major modern redevelopment and investment efforts to resume production. Geologically, the deposit consists of an extensive post-Variscan hydrothermal vein system emplaced within a Paleozoic siliciclastic basement. The veins are dominated by high concentrations of fluorite along with associated barite and lead sulfide (galena), formed through complex fluid circulation processes driven by regional tectonic and magmatic events.

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