Updated 4d ago

Stannite

$500.00

$40.00 shipping
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Ships from USA

You might expect a mine situated at an elevation of nearly 3,700 m above sea level to be remote, but San José mine is practically in the heart of a city, that of Oruro City in the Bolivian Andes. However, the city is itself remote. San José mine was a large tin and silver mine and was famous during the 1970s for its wonderfully crystallized sulphosalt minerals, closing in 1992. However, in the very earliest 21st century is was reopened as a specimen mine. This richly crystallized small miniature specimen features prominent long bladed crystals of Jamesonite associated with and skewering through gun-metal grey rounded to equant crystals of Stannite. Visually similar material to this was reportedly collected during the 1940s, and was labelled as Zinkenite, but has all be shown to be Jamesonite. Worldwide, both Stannite and Jamesonite are rarely seen species and Stannite in particular is hardly ever seen in visibly discernible crystals making this a very rich example.