Acanthite ps. after Argentite

Unknown Owner

Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

A very profound, artistic and three-dimensional cluster of acanthite pseudomorphs after argentite from the Imiter Mine in Morocco from the famous 2005 find here. These are sharp, high-temperature isometric octahedrons of argentite that have converted to low-temperature monoclinic acanthite while retaining the original crystal shape. This is just a spectacular small cabinet piece from this find consisting of numerous, large, pagoda-like acanthite crystal pseudos that project like spires. These sharp, charcoal-gray metallic, somewhat distorted octahedrons have rough crystal faces (pitted or from growth) with honed edges and points. Most of them are compound crystals built up from numerous octahedrons in parallel stacked growth and vary in size from 1 to (an amazing) 4 cm! This is an elegant, perfect specimen with incredibly good aesthetics that is among the best in its size range. Paul Stahl travelled himself to Morocco at least half a dozen times, to source and obtain these when they came out in the early 2000s for his patron, Dr. Erika Pohl. He kept a few for himself, in the process. This piece, with shape, perfection, geometry, and luster...is near top of the game for this material. Hefty, at 512 grams. No more of this quality has been found since the early 2000s. It remains one of the world's greatest finds of the species.