Description
Here is an impressive specimen from the Septemvri Mine in Madan, Bulgaria, featuring galena and sphalerite aesthetically perched on a slab lined with a fine, needle-like carpet of quartz crystals. Galena and sphalerite are the primary ore minerals for lead and zinc, respectively, for which this mine is operated. Although most of the material is destined for the mill to be crushed and processed for its metal content, fortunately, a few miners appreciate the natural beauty of such pieces and save them from this fate for collectors to enjoy. Looking closely at the galena crystals, one can notice the characteristic “melted” appearance caused by etching processes. The fine, needle-like quartz displays a delicate greenish hue, most likely due to minute inclusions of chlorite. Scattered across the specimen are also small crystals of pyrite and chalcopyrite—common associates in this sulfide paragenesis—which add even more character to this already striking piece.
LOCATION
Bulgaria, Madan, Septemvri
SIZE
8.4 cm
WEIGHT
195 g