Suredaite

specimen number:
2354142

location:
Oploca Vein System, San Miguel Open pit, Pirquitas Mine, Rinconada, Jujuy, Argentina

description:
From the type locality for the species, metallic crystal sprays of suredaite across one side of matrix. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Eric Laskowski.

Located high in the Puna region of Jujuy Province, Argentina, the Oploca vein system forms part of the world-class Pirquitas silver-tin deposit, where hydrothermally deposited vein networks cut through altered Ordovician sediment rocks. Following the initial discovery of the deposit in the early 1930s, underground mining operations targeted rich ore veins like Oploca before modern surface operations incorporated the structure into the vast San Miguel open pit. The locality gained international acclaim among collectors and mineralogists as the type locality for suredaite, a exceedingly rare lead-tin sulfide mineral that forms metallic grey-black tabular or prismatic crystals within late-stage hydrothermal fractures.

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