Galena with Quartz

Unknown Owner

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Neat small stalactive of galena, hollow on the interior, with crystallized quartz. Very slight damage present, still quite nice and unique.The Casteel Mine, also designated as the Viburnum No. 35 Mine, is situated in the prolific Viburnum Trend of southeastern Missouri. Historically developed in the latter half of the twentieth century as part of the region's massive expansion of lead and zinc production, the mine targeted major sulfide ore bodies hosted within sedimentary rock. Geologically, the deposit lies within the Upper Cambrian Bonneterre Formation, where metal-rich basinal brines migrated through the underlying Lamotte Sandstone and precipitated ores around Precambrian basement highs. The mineralogy of the mine is characterized by primary economic minerals like galena and sphalerite, accompanied by associated gangue and specimen minerals such as chalcopyrite, pyrite, marcasite, calcite, and dolomite.