Gersdorffite with Calcite

specimen number:
9302332

location:
Ait Ahmane, Tansifte Caidat, Agdz Cercle, Zagora, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco

description:

An excellent example for the species with bright lustrous sharp crystals to 2.0 cm in size on calcite with green annabergite. In good condition.

Ait Ahmane, situated in the eastern sector of the Bou Azzer-El Graara inlier within the Anti-Atlas belt of Morocco, is a renowned mining locality with operations dating back to the mid-20th century. Geologically, the area is characterized by a Neoproterozoic ophiolitic sequence where serpentinized ultramafic rocks and quartz diorites are heavily faulted and hydrothermally altered. Mineralogically, the district is famous for its complex vein systems that yield cobalt arsenides, native silver, and nickel minerals, alongside striking associated specimens of cobaltian calcite and various secondary phases that attract mineral collectors globally.

Gersdorffite is an uncommon nickel arsenic sulfide mineral. First described in 1845 by German mineralogist Gustav Rose, it was named in honor of Oberbergrat von Gersdorff, the owner of the mine where it was initially discovered near Schladming, Austria. Geologically, gersdorffite typically forms in hydrothermal veins associated with other nickel, cobalt, and silver-bearing ore minerals. Mineralogically, it crystallizes in the isometric system, usually forming octahedral, cubic, or pyritohedral crystals that exhibit a steel-gray to silver-white color and a metallic luster, with notable occurrences found in classic mining districts across Europe, Canada, and Morocco.

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