Coloradoite

specimen number:
2262069

location:
Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia, Australia

description:
Metallic coloradoite sparse upon this quartz rich matrix.

The Kalgoorlie-Boulder mining district, located within the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of Western Australia, is centered on the world-famous Golden Mile, a high-grade lode gold deposit hosted in the Archaean Golden Mile Dolerite. Geologically, the region features a complex series of shear zones where hydrothermal fluids deposited gold along with an unusual abundance of telluride minerals within quartz-carbonate veins. The locality is a significant source of coloradoite, a rare mercury telluride that occurs as iron-black to lead-gray metallic grains and massive aggregates, often intimately associated with other tellurides like calaverite and sylvanite. Historically, mining and quarrying began in 1893 following Paddy Hannan's discovery, sparking a massive gold rush that transformed the region into a global mining powerhouse. Operations have transitioned from hundreds of small underground shafts to the massive Super Pit open-cut mine, which has dominated the landscape since the late 1980s and continues active production through 2026. This district remains one of the most prolific gold-producing regions in history, renowned for its unique mineral chemistry and enduring industrial significance.

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