Bismuth

specimen number:
2262148

location:
Marcamarcani Mine (San Baldomero Mine), Sorata, Larecaja, La Paz, Bolivia

description:
A good old time specimen with very rich metallic native bismuth throughout matrix. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video.

The Marcamarcani Mine, historically known as the San Baldomero Mine, is located in the Inquisivi Province of the La Paz Department in Bolivia and is famous for its exceptional native bismuth specimens. Geologically, the deposit consists of hydrothermal quartz veins hosted within Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, specifically shales and sandstones that were metamorphosed during the intrusion of the Cordillera Real batholith. Native bismuth at this site is found as large, brilliant metallic masses and rare, sharp rhombohedral crystals often associated with bismuthinite and various sulfide minerals in a quartz matrix.

Walker's Minerals, formerly located at 799 Lexington Avenue in New York City, was a prominent American mineral dealership that served the scientific and collecting communities during the mid-20th century. While not a mine or quarry itself, the establishment functioned as a vital commercial hub for the distribution of geological materials, operating out of a historic five-story building constructed in 1900. Geologically, the shop specialized in high-quality specimens from classic global localities, including rare crystals and fluorescent minerals, and was a notable distributor of specialized ultraviolet equipment like the Mineralight. Historically, the business was a family-run enterprise operated by the Walker family, with Alan Walker eventually managing the shop during its peak years of activity. The dealership was most influential between the 1940s and the late 1960s, during which time it acquired significant inventories, such as the mineral stock of the renowned dealer Hugh A. Ford. Although the physical storefront eventually closed as the Manhattan retail landscape changed, labels from Walker's Minerals remain highly regarded by historians for providing reliable provenance for specimens collected during the golden age of New York mineral dealing. Historically, mining and quarrying at the Marcamarcani site began in the late 19th century, with the most active period of exploitation occurring between 1900 and the 1950s. The mine was primarily worked for bismuth and tin, serving as a critical source of these metals for the global market during the early 20th century. While industrial operations slowed significantly by the 1960s, the locality has remained legendary among mineralogists for producing some of the finest native bismuth specimens ever discovered.

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