Cerussite

specimen number:
2262128

location:
Flux Mine, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Fine jackstraw crystals of cerussite to 2.0 cm in size across the top of matrix. In good condition. Classic material for the species and locality.

The Flux Mine, situated in the Patagonia Mountains of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, is a historic lead-silver-zinc deposit noted for its rich secondary mineralogy. Geologically, the mine is located within a complex zone of Permian-aged limestone and shale that underwent significant fracturing and subsequent mineralization by hydrothermal fluids related to nearby Laramide-aged intrusions. The deposit is particularly famous for its cerussite, a lead carbonate mineral that formed in the extensive oxidation zones of the ore body, often appearing as magnificent clusters of white to colorless, jackstraw crystals consisting of elongated, intersecting needles. Historically, mining and quarrying activities at the Flux Mine began in the late 1850s, making it one of the earliest American mining ventures in the region following the Gadsden Purchase. The operation saw several periods of intensive activity, most notably during the late 1800s and again through the mid-1900s, with various shafts and tunnels extracting high-grade lead and silver ores until the mid-1960s. While commercial production has long since ended, the site remains a classic Arizona locality for mineralogical study and is highly regarded by collectors for the quality of its carbonate species.

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