Axinite-Mn with Johannsenite

specimen number:
2133276

location:
Iron Cap Mine, Graham Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Crystals of axinite measuring to 0.3 cm in size scattered across the top of this matrix with needlelike crystals of johannsenite and colorless crystals of quartz. In good condition.

The Iron Cap Mine, located in the Aravaipa District of Graham County, Arizona, is a significant skarn-type deposit known for its diverse silicate and sulfide mineralogy. Geologically, the mine is situated in an area where Paleozoic limestones were intruded by Laramide-aged granodiorite and quartz monzonite, resulting in intense contact metamorphism and the formation of extensive tactite zones. The locality is highly regarded for producing exceptional crystals of manganese-rich axinite (axinite-Mn), which occur as sharp, lustrous, clove-brown to purplish-brown wedge-shaped crystals often found in association with andradite garnet, hedenbergite, and johannsenite. Historically, the Iron Cap Mine was worked primarily for lead, zinc, and silver, with its most significant periods of production occurring during the early 20th century, specifically between 1900 and 1930, and again during brief periods of revitalization in the 1940s. While industrial metal production has long since ceased, the mine remains a classic Arizona locality for collectors due to the high quality and distinct morphology of its crystallized silicate specimens.

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