Fizelyite

specimen number:
1052570

location:
Herja Mine, Maramures Co., Romania

description:

Metallic thin bladed crystals of fizelyite scattered across matrix. This material was first described from this locality in 1913. According to the previous antique label that comes with the specimen, this particular piece was collected in 1913. So this would be one of the original specimens of the species collected. Some very neat history for the species on this piece.

The Herja Mine, historically known as Kisbanya, is located near Baia Mare in Maramures County, Romania, and is world-renowned for its incredibly diverse assemblage of sulfide and sulfosalt minerals. Geologically, the deposit consists of a complex system of hydrothermal veins and ore bodies hosted within Neogene volcanic rocks, specifically andesites and dacites, and their associated sedimentary basement. The mineralization occurred in several stages as metal-rich fluids filled fractures, resulting in the deposition of lead, zinc, and silver ores alongside a vast array of rare mineral species. Historically, mining in the area dates back to the 18th century, with systematic industrial development expanding significantly under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mine was a major producer throughout the 20th century, reaching its peak during the mid-to-late 1900s under state operation. However, changing economic conditions and the exhaustion of accessible ore led to the cessation of commercial mining activities in 2006. Today, the mine is celebrated as a classic locality, famous for its unique mineral habits such as spherical stibnite and its rich variety of rare sulfosalts.

Fizelyite is a rare lead-silver-antimony sulfosalt mineral that was first discovered and described from the Herja Mine in 1913. It typically occurs as dark lead-grey to black metallic crystals that are often striated and possess a distinct submetallic luster. Geologically, it forms in low-to-moderate temperature hydrothermal veins, where it is frequently associated with other complex sulfosalts, galena, and sphalerite. The mineral is highly prized by collectors and researchers because the Herja Mine is its type locality, and the specimens found there are considered the finest examples of the species in terms of crystal size and definition. Fizelyite belongs to the lillianite homologous series, and its presence at Herja provides important data regarding the chemical evolution and cooling history of the silver-rich hydrothermal systems in the Baia Mare region.

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