HETEROMORPHITE or Boulangerite with Sphalerite, Siderite - Altenkirchen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

HETEROMORPHITE or Boulangerite with Sphalerite, Siderite

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This is a fantastic old specimen from Silberwiese mine at Oberlahr, Altenkirchen-Flammersfeld, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, complete with historic handwritten labels. Not only are specimens from this mine extremely rare, but this large miniature presents a classic assemblage of the important species noted from there, along with their original 19th century names. Described as Heteromorphite, modern studies have apparently failed to confirm this and so it might be Boulangerite instead. Nevertheless, the tiny wispy dark grey filaments in cavities within Siderite are associated with small gemmy red Sphalerite crystals that are of interest in their own right. It is from the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).