Arsenic

specimen number:
2262183

location:
Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany

description:
A superb old time German specimen with semi lustrous gray botryoidal metallic native arsenic without matrix. In great condition. The specimen comes with a previous data card that notes that at one time the specimen was in the collection of noted American dealer Scott Williams. The original acquisition date on this data card is 1963.

The Schneeberg mining district in the Erzgebirge mountains of Saxony, Germany, is the world's most significant locality for botryoidal native arsenic, often referred to locally as "Scherbenkobalt." Geologically, the area features a complex network of hydrothermal veins hosted in metamorphic schists and contact-metamorphosed rocks, with native arsenic typically occurring in the "Bi-Co-Ni-Ag" formation. This native arsenic often takes the form of distinctive rounded, kidney-shaped, or botryoidal masses with a dark gray to black tarnished surface, frequently found in association with silver and cobalt minerals. Mining and quarrying in Schneeberg began as early as the 15th century following the discovery of rich silver deposits in 1470, which led to a massive mining boom and the formal establishment of the "Bergstadt." While silver production dominated the early era, the mines transitioned to the extraction of cobalt and bismuth for pigments in the 16th and 17th centuries, and later to uranium mining under the SAG/SDAG Wismut operations from 1946 until 1958.

Scott J. Williams (1925-2014) was a highly respected American mineral dealer and collector based in Arizona, known for his deep expertise and contributions to the mineralogical community. He operated Scott Williams Mineral Company, a dealership that became a primary source for high-quality, systematic, and rare mineral specimens for museums and private collectors worldwide for several decades. Historically, his work was characterized by meticulous labeling and a commitment to accurate locality data, which helped elevate the standards of the mineral trade during the mid-to-late 20th century. Williams was also recognized for his discovery of several new mineral species.

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