Altaite

specimen number:
2262188

location:
Boulder Co., Colorado, USA

description:
Bright metallic crystallized altaite on matrix. This is an extremely rare and choice example for the species.

The Boulder County mining district, located in the Front Range of Colorado, is a world-famous locality for rare telluride minerals, including the lead telluride species altaite. Geologically, the area is defined by the Colorado Mineral Belt, where Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary porphyry stocks intruded Precambrian granites and gneisses, creating narrow, high-grade hydrothermal veins. Within these veins, altaite occurs as metallic, tin-white to yellowish-gray granular masses and rare cubic crystals, typically associated with native gold, petzite, sylvanite, and quartz. Historically, mining and quarrying in Boulder County began with the discovery of placer gold in 1859, which quickly led to underground development of rich lode deposits, followed by the landmark discovery of gold tellurides at Gold Hill in 1872. The district experienced several booms and bust cycles, with intensive underground operations for gold, silver, and tungsten continuing through the mid-20th century, followed by intermittent small-scale and specimen mining through 2026. Today, the altaite specimens from classic Boulder County mines like the Melvina and Red Cloud remain highly sought after by systematic mineral collectors for their historical provenance and their role in the study of telluride geochemistry.

Lawrence Conklin was a world-renowned mineral dealer based in New York City, widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and sophisticated figures in the history of the mineral trade. Operating from his office on 5th Avenue and later from his home in Connecticut, Conklin specialized in "antique" minerals and specimens with significant historical provenance. He was a meticulous researcher and an elegant writer, often publishing articles that corrected historical errors in mineralogical literature. His career spanned over five decades, during which he handled some of the finest known specimens from classic European and American localities, setting a high standard for aesthetic quality and documentation in the field.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.