Galena with Sphalerite

specimen number:
2212123

location:
Grace Walker Mine, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma, USA

description:
Semi lustrous cubic crystals of galena to 1.0 cm in size on a brecciated matrix with red sphalerite crystals. Attractive combination piece in good condition.

The Grace Walker Mine, located near Picher in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, was a prominent producer within the Oklahoma portion of the Tri-State Mining District. Geologically, the mine exploited Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) mineralization, where hydrothermal fluids deposited galena and sphalerite within the brecciated cherts and limestones of the Mississippian-aged Boone Formation. The locality is mineralogically notable for producing high-quality specimens of lead and zinc ores, often associated with aesthetic clusters of pink rhombohedral dolomite and occasionally chalcopyrite. Historically, mining and quarrying at the Grace Walker site were most active during the first half of the 20th century, particularly from the 1910s through the 1940s, contributing to the massive output of the Picher Field during both World Wars. As part of the largest lead-zinc producing region in the world at the time, the mine supported a booming local economy before the gradual depletion of high-grade ore led to a decline in activity. Most commercial mining operations in this sector of the district ceased by the late 1960s, and the area was later included in the Tar Creek Superfund site for environmental reclamation.

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