Fluorite with Galena

specimen number:
2092160

location:
Hill-Ledford Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
Rosy purple cubic crystals of translucent non-lustrous fluorite to 2.0 cm in size across the top of a crystallized galena matrix. Some damage present, still very nice for this old locality.

The Hill Ledford Mine, located in Hardin County, Illinois, was part of the Illinois Kentucky Fluorspar District, a region historically important for its production of fluorite from hydrothermal vein deposits hosted in limestone. Mining activity in the area took place primarily during the mid 20th century, with underground workings developed to follow mineralized zones along fault systems and fractures. The deposits formed when fluorine rich fluids moved through the host rock and deposited fluorite along with associated minerals such as calcite, galena, and sphalerite. The mine contributed to the districts output during a period of strong industrial demand for fluorspar, particularly for use in steelmaking and chemical processes. Like many operations in the region, the Hill Ledford Mine eventually declined as market conditions changed and domestic production decreased, but it remains a notable locality within this classic American mining district.

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