Pyrite with Sphalerite

specimen number:
2062933

location:
El Potosi Mine, Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico

description:
Semi lustrous golden crystals of cubic pyrite measuring to 1.7 cm in size on matrix with minor sphalerite. In good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The El Potosi Mine, located in the historic Santa Eulalia District of Chihuahua, Mexico, is hosted within an extensive sequence of Cretaceous limestones that were intruded by Tertiary igneous rocks. This geological setting facilitated the formation of massive replacement ore bodies, including large mantos and vertical chimneys rich in lead, zinc, and silver. Discovered during the Spanish colonial era, the district underwent intensive large-scale commercial mining from the late 19th century onward. Beyond its industrial production, the mine became globally famous among mineral collectors for yielding world-class, pristine specimens of secondary minerals such as smithsonite, hemimorphite, gypsum, and creedite from its deep oxidized zones.

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