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Wulfenite

Unknown Owner

Beautiful yellow thin platy crystals of wulfenite measuring to 1.0 cm in size across the top of matrix. This is in good condition. Just slight cleaving present. Classic Austrian locality for the species.Bleiberg, located in Carinthia, Austria, is a world-class lead-zinc district and the type locality for the mineral wulfenite. Geologically, the deposits are classified as Alpine-type or Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) lead-zinc ores, hosted within the Triassic Wetterstein limestone and dolomite of the Gailtal Alps. The mineralization occurs as strata-bound replacement bodies, cave fillings, and veins formed by hydrothermal fluids. While primary ores include galena and sphalerite, the district is most famous for its spectacular secondary minerals, particularly the aesthetic yellow to orange-red wulfenite crystals and blue hemimorphite. Historically, mining at Bleiberg has a massive span of over 700 years, with official records dating back to 1333, though archaeological evidence suggests even earlier Celtic and Roman activity. Industrial operations reached their peak in the 19th and 20th centuries under the Bleiberger Bergwerks Union. Due to declining ore grades and economic shifts, the mines were finally closed in 1993. Today, the town of Bad Bleiberg has transitioned into a health and tourism center, utilizing the former mine tunnels for climate therapy and museum displays.