CALCITE, DOLOMITE and QUARTZ on GALENA and SPHALERITE

Trep?a is one of Europe's most famous mining districts, situated in the Trep?a valley in mid-northern Kosovo, formerly a part of Yugoslavia. The Trep?a lead-zinc-silver orebody was worked by five mines up until around 2010 and for those not familiar with its magnificent mineral specimens, some are similar to those from the Madan mining district in Bulgaria. This is a fabulous example displaying five species, but primarily Galena and Sphalerite. Coating a massive granular Galena and Sphalerite matrix, the dominant species is light graphite-grey Galena, in flattened bubble-like mounds covering the surface. The habit is amazing, giving rise to the descriptive term 'melted, as if the Galena has partly liquefied then reset. It forms finely-contoured hillocks to around 2.5 cm across with a bright metallic to satin lustre. Over the Galena are twenty plus beautifully crystallised black metallic Sphalerites forming equant crystals to 2 cm across, some with an octahedral habit. In the centre sits a 3 x 2 x 3 cm high mound of crystallised white Calcite. Over other areas can be seen the odd milky Quartz crystal, small clusters of creamy-tan Dolomite and even the occasional tiny patch of Chalcopyrite. A superb cabinet specimen of Galena and Sphalerite from the Trep?a complex.

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Crystal Classics

Tucson, Arizona, USA