Wulfenite with Calcite

Unknown Owner

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Defiance mine in Cochise Co. was responsible for some of finest 'early' Wulfenite specimens in Arizona but finding great examples is now extremely hard. Commercially, as an ore producer, the mine was never successful, eventually closing in 1958, but in the years immediately after its closure some truly magnificent crystallized Wulfenite specimens were recovered. It has to be said that the Defiance mine Wulfenite doesn't rival Red Cloud, or some of the other famous Arizonan mines in terms of colour, or lustre. However, their superb aggregated form as beds of interlocking and freestanding crystals are stunning, and their defining feature is the thin overgrowth of Calcite along the edges of the Wulfenite blades. This full cabinet-sized specimen is a rare survivor, probably from the 1960s, and is in amazing condition, with thin tabular to bladed Wulfenite crystals reaching up to 2 cm on edge. If you are interested in this specimen please discuss with us shipping options due to its delicate nature.