Vanadinite

specimen number:
2341089

location:
Mibladen, Midelt, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco

description:
Neat thumbnail specimen with thin elongated prismatic orange red lustrous crystals of vanadinite measuring to 1.3 cm in length coming off matrix. The two prominent crystals are freestanding and complete all around. There is a second-generation of very tiny vanadinite crystals on the terminations. From 2006, in good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Jan Erik Larsen.

Mibladen, located in the high plateau region of the Middle Atlas Mountains in Morocco, is a world-famous historic mining district with operations that expanded significantly during the French protectorate in the early to mid-20th century for lead and barite. Geologically, the deposit is situated within secondary sedimentary carbonate formations, where mineralizing hydrothermal fluids interacted with limestone and dolostone host rocks to form rich oxidized zones. Mineralogically, the district is globally renowned for producing exceptional, highly aesthetic specimens of orange-red vanadinite crystals, often associated with pristine barite, cerussite, and wulfenite, making it one of the most celebrated mineral localities in Africa.

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