Sphalerite on Siderite

Sphalerite on SideriteFrom my own personal collection, this cabinet sized display specimen is a quintessential Gilman sulfide carbonate association piece. Several remarkably sharp AND lustrous crystals of reddish black Sphalerite with notably SMOOTH faces hardly any striations at all on many faces are gently intermixed and sitting atop a crystallized plate of soft beige cream colored compressed rhombohedra or discs of Siderite. The piece was mined in 1978, and I actually

Although the Sweet Home mine is most famous for its Rhodochrosite specimens

"sword"-shaped crystals of Vivianite on metamorphosed Sandstone matrix

Specimen #BURMA22108

and I would say it does look better in person

had a stake in this mine in the late 1970’s / early 1980’s and was able to acquire some superb and interesting specimens

silver-grey crystallized “spray”

Most of the crystals are in excellent condition but it is contacted on the back

lustrous crystals of pale golden color Baryte “blades” associated with small white Dolomite rhombs on blue-grey Chalcedony matrix

the best luster and often gemminess of any Vivianite specimens to date from this country

Specimen # BOL711B249

Ex – Brian Kosnar Collection

A large percentage of the Cassiterites from this mine are rarely found with any associated minerals