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Bournonite Sphalerite, Pyrite

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The Baia Sprie mining region in Maramureș County, Romania is one of Europe's most famous ore deposits where mining dates to the 14th century. It is an epithermal vein deposit and was principally mined for silver and gold and, later, other metals such as antimony, copper and zinc as these became of industrial and economic importance. This large cabinet specimen of Bournonite, Sphalerite and Pyrite is nothing short of sensational for its Bournonite, with the Sphalerite and Pyrite elevating it even further in the aesthetic stakes. Covering a heavy matrix of mixed massive Galena and Pyrite, almost the entire 12 x 6 cm display surface is densely encrusted with excellent, bright metallic silver Bournonite crystals, forming equant cogwheel crystals. These are so uniform and perfect they take me back to my days of Meccano (a model construction system) and I can add they look like the No. 26 pinion gear wheel. How's that for a detailed description! These are surrounded by more minor semi-crystallised black Sphalerite and micro-granular brassy Pyrite. It is a wonderful Romanian Bournonite of great aesthetic.\n