Enargite with Pyrite

specimen number:
1052574

location:
Cerro de Pasco, Pasco, Peru

description:
Crystals of enargite measuring to 1.0 cm in size, these mostly coated with micro crystalline golden pyrite, across the top of matrix. Very minimal damage present, I think that this is in good condition. Nice for the species and locality.

Cerro de Pasco, located in the high Andes of central Peru at an elevation exceeding 4300 meters, is one of the most significant and oldest continuously active mining districts in the world. Geologically, the deposit is a massive hydrothermal system centered on a Miocene-aged volcanic diatreme, which intruded into Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and Mesozoic carbonates. The mineralization occurs as enormous replacement bodies and veins rich in silver, lead, zinc, and copper, including spectacular occurrences of minerals like enargite, pyrite, and various sulfosalts. Historically, silver was discovered here in 1630, and the district quickly became a cornerstone of the Spanish colonial economy. In the early 20th century, the Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation modernized the site with extensive underground workings and the eventual development of a massive open pit that has consumed much of the original historic town. Mining operations have transitioned through various state and private ownerships over the centuries and remain active today, continuing to provide a substantial portion of Perus mineral exports while serving as a landmark for high-altitude industrial engineering.

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