Siderite, Sphalerite

Unknown Owner

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A beautiful cabinet specimen from a small find that was brought out at Munich in 2006. These very unusual, barrel-shaped crystals are actually epimorphs, i.e. casts after calcite crystals, which have been dissolved away. Microprobe analysis in South Africa by Bruce Cairncross and others shows that the shimmering, metallic-like coating is a mixture of siderite and sphalerite. The piece is very light weight for its size and, in fact, the casts are hollow, as the couple broken crystals on the specimen reveal. The striking cluster at the top really jumps out at you. The large crystal is 5.2 cm. Interesting, totally unique material from this find.