Sphalerite with Quartz, Chalcopyrite

specimen number:
8911136

location:
Emperius Mine, Creede, Mineral Co., Colorado, USA

description:
Lustrous black twinned crystals of sphalerite to 1.0 cm in size on a crystallized quartz matrix with minor chalcopyrite. Damage is present, this mainly confined to the backside of the specimen. The specimen comes with a previous label from the Alton collection.

The Emperius Mine, situated in the historic Creede Mining District of Mineral County, Colorado, sits within a geologically complex region shaped by Oligocene volcanic activity and the collapse of the Creede Caldera around 26 million years ago. Mineralization occurred when superheated hydrothermal fluids enriched with base and precious metals migrated upward along major fault fractures, depositing rich epithermal vein systems within the volcanic ash and tuff beds. Mining in the area took off following the initial silver booms of the late 1880s and early 1890s, with the Emperius property coming into prominence during the mid-20th century as a key producer of silver, lead, zinc, and gold. Beyond its commercial ore production, the Emperius Mine became renowned among mineral collectors for producing magnificent specimens of crystalline quartz, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, and especially delicate, lustrous groupings of green to purple fluorite. Today, the mine stands as an iconic fixture of Creede's rich mining history, and specimens recovered during its peak operating years remain highly sought after by collectors worldwide.

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