Magnetite

specimen number:
2063280

location:
Cerro Huanaquina, Yocalla, Tomas Frias, Potosi, Bolivia

description:
The front side of this matrix is almost completely covered with lustrous sharp black crystals of magnetite measuring to 1.3 cm in size. The crystals are sharply formed and in very good condition with slight contacting to one crystal that is at the upper right side of the piece, this facing away from the center of the matrix. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Located in the Yocalla Municipality of Tomas Frias Province, Potosi, Bolivia, Cerro Huanaquina is geologically defined as the eroded remnant of a dacite laccolith intrusion that penetrates Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. While the surrounding Potosi district has a long history of industrial metal extraction dating back to the colonial era, Cerro Huanaquina itself became famous in the global mineral collecting community due to modern discoveries of exceptionally sharp, highly lustrous octahedral magnetite crystals perched on matrix. Mineral collectors highly prize specimens from this mountain for their outstanding crystal definition, metallic gunmetal luster, and clean aesthetic isolation.

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