Calcite

specimen number:
2292189

location:
Charcas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

description:
Classic specimen for this locality with crystals of calcite measuring to 3.0 cm in size nice on matrix. In good condition. These are often called poker chip calcite.

The Charcas mining district, located in the northern region of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is a world-class zinc, lead, and silver mining center famous for producing remarkable mineral specimens, particularly pink danburite, calcite, and datolite. Geologically, the district features a complex skarn and hydrothermal vein system formed by the intrusion of thick Tertiary granodiorite bodies into Cretaceous sedimentary sequences, primarily the Cupido and Cuesta del Cura limestones. This interaction led to extensive metasomatism, creating wide polymetallic sulfide replacement ore bodies alongside rich, crystal-lined cavities within structural faults. Silver mining at Charcas began shortly after its founding by Spanish colonizers in the 1570s, making it one of the oldest continuously operated mining camps in Mexico. Industrial-scale underground extraction and quarrying expanded dramatically in the early twentieth century under companies like ASARCO and later Industrial Minera Mexico (IMMSA), with highly mechanized operations maintaining high-volume zinc and lead production well into the 2020s.

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