DUFRÉNOYSITE

$1,200.00

$40.00 shipping
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Crystal ClassicsFeatured

Tucson, Arizona, USA

7,543 for sale·132 sold

Most mineral collectors will at least have heard of Lengenbach quarry in Switzerland. It is right up there on the list of those few unique spots on Earth where many elements have been concentrated resulting in a prolific and complex suite of minerals. What makes Lengenbach even more remarkable is its size; it's probably one of the smallest quarries you could imagine and hewn from a monotonous appearing, bright snow white, sugary Dolomite. It was discovered in the 1800s and was immediately recognised as a site worthy of detailed scientific study. The specimen we have is Dufrénoysite, a lead arsenic sulphosalt which forms bright metallic silver arrow shaped crystals and granular masses through the sucrosic Dolomite. Lengenbach quarry is situated about 1 km southeast of Fäld in the Binn Valley, Wallis (Valais), Switzerland. This tiny quarry is host to 39 elements which, to date, have formed 172 recognised species and of which it is type locality to a staggering forty eight! This specimen is accompanied by an old handwritten label.