Calcite with Siderite

specimen number:
2292347

location:
Herja Mine, Maramures Co., Romania

description:

Rhombohedral crystal groupings of colorless translucent calcite to 2.0 cm in size across the top of matrix with crystallized siderite. This is in good condition. Some stibnite is present on the bottom of the piece.

The Herja mine, located near Chiuzbaia in the Maramures region of northern Romania, is situated within the Neogene Baia Mare metallogenic district. Geologically, the ore deposit formed during the Late Miocene to Pannonian epochs as hydrothermal vein systems associated with subvolcanic intrusions, particularly porphyry quartz-microdiorite stocks and surrounding andesites. These mineralized veins, numbering over 260 across a compact network, contain extensive base-metal concentrations of lead and zinc, along with silver, antimony, and gold. Historically, mining in the region dates back to the Middle Ages, with formal operations continuing under Hungarian and Habsburg administrations to extract industrial metals. While the mine was worked for centuries for its rich ores, it became renowned among mineralogists for producing highly diverse sulfide and sulfosalt specimens, including stibnite, berthierite, and unique dark calcite. The underground workings were permanently closed in 2005, ending centuries of active extraction.

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