Wulfenite with Mimetite

San Francisco Mine, Cerro Prieto, Cucurpe, Cucurpe Municipality, Sonora, Mexico

11 cm tall x 13 cm wide (largest crystal 5.5 cm on edge)

For many collectors, the San Francisco Mine is considered the ultimate for the species wulfenite. During the 1970s, this mine put forth glorious combination specimens of bright yellow wulfenite intermixed with red and orange mimetite. For many years the mine was dormant and few specimens of consequence were found. The mine was resurrected in the 1990s and once again spectacular examples were unearthed.

This wulfenite with mimetite was discovered during the last and final mining venture in 1994. It sits among the finest known from this mine. It displays large transparent yellow orange "window pane" crystals of wulfenite with sugary balls of orange mimetite creating a tour-de-force of color and form unique to this mine. This wulfenite is a benchmark all others are measured against.

Ex-collection James Horner