Galena with Calcite

specimen number:
2312331

location:
Krushev dol Mine, Madan, Smolyan, Bulgaria

description:
Bright lustrous sharp metallic crystals of galena measuring to 1.7 cm in size across the top of a crystalline colorless to slightly pinkish calcite matrix. This is in excellent condition and quite aesthetic.

The Krushev Dol mine, situated within the renowned Madan ore field in the Rhodope Mountains of southern Bulgaria, has a rich mining history dating back to ancient Thracian times in the fourth century BC, with extensive modern industrial development taking place through the twentieth century. Geologically, the deposit is part of a complex hydrothermal vein and replacement system hosted within high-grade metamorphic rocks and marbles, shaped by intensive Paleogene magmatic and tectonic activity. Mineralogically, the mine is world-famous for producing exceptional collector specimens, particularly lustrous galena, sphalerite (including notable cleophane varieties), chalcopyrite, and quartz, alongside a diverse array of associated sulfides and rare accessory minerals.

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