Calcite

specimen number:
2013549

location:
West Fork Mine, Viburnum Trend, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA

description:
Yellow semi lustrous translucent crystals of calcite set on matrix. In good condition.

The West Fork Mine, located in Reynolds County within the world-famous Viburnum Trend of southeast Missouri, is a major producer of lead and zinc. Geologically, it is a classic Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit where mineralization is hosted primarily within the Cambrian-aged Bonneterre Formation. The ore occurs as replacements and open-space fillings in dolomitized limestone, where hydrothermal fluids deposited galena, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite along ancient reef structures and breccia zones. Historically, the West Fork deposit was discovered in the 1960s during the rapid exploration of the "New Lead Belt," but industrial production did not begin until 1985 under ASARCO. The mine has remained a key asset in the district for decades, eventually transitioning to the ownership of the Doe Run Company, which continues to operate in the region. Although modern mining is focused on industrial output, the West Fork Mine remains a significant locality for mineralogists studying the complex sulfide mineralization of the Ozark Plateau.

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