Ilvaite

specimen number:
8311491

location:
Huanggang Mines, Inner Mongolia, China

description:
Choice cluster of lustrous black prismatic double terminated ilvaite crystals. This is in super condition all around with no points of attachment. Small colorless crystals of octahedral fluorite are scattered throughout.

The Huanggang Mines, located in the Hexigten Banner of Inner Mongolia, China, comprise a series of massive skarn-type deposits formed by the interaction of Yanshanian granitic intrusions with Permian limestone and slate units. Geologically, this environment is characterized by an extensive suite of calcium-iron-silicate minerals, making it one of the most prolific sources of high-quality ilvaite in the world. The ilvaite from this locality typically occurs as large, lustrous, jet-black prismatic crystals. Historically, large-scale mining and quarrying operations at the Huanggangliang complex began in the early 2000s to extract iron and tin, with active production continuing through 2026. While primarily an industrial site, the mine has gained international fame for producing world-class ilvaite specimens that are often found in association with hedenbergite or quartz.

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