Argyrodite, Proustite, Acanthite Silver and Rhodochrosite

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A standard polished ore block used in the study of metallic ore minerals using reflected light microscopy, or for use in a scanning electron microscope. The Capillitas mine in Andalgalá Department, Catamarca, Argentina is world-renowned for its stunning banded Rhodochrosite much of which is mined for cutting or lapidary material, but the 'mine' is more of a district of several veins rather than a single entity. The Santa Rita mine on the Santa Rita vein is a private specimen-producing mine nearby but is only really known for Rhodochrosite. This polished ore mount allows the primary ore minerals to be studied, and contains various unusual silver sulphosalts, including Argyrodite, Proustite, Acanthite and Native Silver. Hosted by the typical pink banded Rhodochrosite, the grey ore (and red Proustite) minerals can be seen as inclusions with the two pieces of Rhodochrosite mounted in the resin block. Areas of golden-brown at the core of stalactitic Rhodochrosite appear to be Sphalerite but are not mentioned on the label. The measurements are for the polished block rather than the individual grains.