Dolomite after Calcite

specimen number:
9302409

location:
Schlema, Saxony, Germany

description:

A cluster of what were once scalenohedral crystals of calcite, these now completely replaced by pink rhombohedral crystallized dolomite. This is basically a floater that is complete all around and in great condition.

Located in the Erzgebirge mountains of Saxony, Germany, Schlema is a world-renowned mining district historically famous for massive silver, cobalt, nickel, bismuth, and later extensive uranium production by the Wismut enterprise. Beyond its industrial mining history, the region is legendary among mineral collectors for its complex hydrothermal vein systems that have yielded exceptional mineral specimens, particularly fine carbonates and rare species.

Pseudomorphs form when one mineral replaces another while retaining the original crystal shape of the initial mineral. Specifically, dolomite after calcite occurs when magnesium-bearing fluids interact with pre-existing crystals of calcium carbonate, chemically altering the internal structure to dolomite while preserving the distinctive rhombohedral morphology of the original calcite.

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