Fluorite with Pyrite, Calcite

specimen number:
2072187

location:
Moscona Mine, Asturias, Spain

description:
Attractive lustrous and gemmy amber colored crystals of fluorite measuring to 1.0 cm on edge across this matrix with crystallized pyrite and calcite. In good condition with very minimal micro-damage present. Classic material for the Spanish locality.

The Moscona Mine, located in the Solis area of Corvera de Asturias in northern Spain, is a famous producer of high-quality fluorite. Geologically, it is part of the Villabona-Arlos mining district, where mineralization occurs as stratabound replacement deposits, also known as mantos, within Permian-aged sediments and Triassic carbonate rocks. The ore formed when hydrothermal fluids moved through the sedimentary basin, depositing fluorite along with calcite, dolomite, barite, and various sulfides. This mine is particularly noted for its distinctive yellow fluorite cubes, which are often found associated with well-formed crystals of dolomite and calcite. Historically, while mining in the region has ancient roots, the Moscona Mine saw its most significant industrial development starting in the late 1970s. It was operated primarily by the company Minerales y Productos Derivados S.A. (Minersa) to provide fluorspar for the chemical and metallurgical industries. Although commercial underground extraction has slowed or ceased in recent years, the mine remains a classic locality for Spanish mineralogy and a major source of aesthetic specimens in the international market.

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