Fluorapophyllite-K

specimen number:
1052554

location:
Samson Mine, St Andreasberg, Braunlage, Goslar, Lower Saxony, Germany

description:
Classic old time German specimen with colorless glassy and gemmy crystals of fluorapophyllite measuring to 0.8 cm in size across the top of matrix. In good condition. Said to have been collected in 1908. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video.

The Samson Mine, located in Saint Andreasberg within the Harz Mountains of Lower Saxony, Germany, is one of the most historically significant silver mines in Europe. Geologically, it exploited a complex system of hydrothermal veins hosted in Paleozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which were mineralized during the Hercynian orogeny. The mine is famous for its incredible mineral diversity, producing exceptional specimens of silver, pyrargyrite, dyscrasite, and calcite, as well as being the type locality for the mineral samsonite. Historically, the mine began operations in 1521 and became one of the deepest mines in the world by the 19th century, reaching a depth of approximately 810 meters. It remained in continuous operation for over 400 years until it finally closed as a working silver mine in 1910 due to the exhaustion of profitable ore. Since its closure, the Samson Mine has been preserved as a mining museum and is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, notably containing the last remaining functional "Fahrkunst" (man-engine) in the world, which was once used to transport miners between levels.

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