Imayoshiite with Sphalerite

specimen number:
5008095

location:
Shijiangshan mine, Hexigten Banner, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China

description:
Choice for this rare species with pearly colorless translucent crystal scattered across the top of matrix. In good condition. small white crystals of what I believe to be shinichengite are present as well.

The Shijiangshan Mine, located in the Hexigten Banner of Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China, is a significant lead-zinc-silver skarn deposit that has gained recent fame for its diverse and rare mineral assemblage. Geologically, the deposit formed through the interaction of Late Paleozoic carbonate rocks with Mesozoic magmatic intrusions, resulting in a complex skarn environment rich in boron and calcium. This unique geochemistry facilitated the formation of the extremely rare mineral imayoshiite, a calcium aluminum borate carbonate hydroxide that typically occurs as tiny, colorless to white hexagonal prisms or acicular crystals. Historically, the mine began modern industrial operations in the early 2000s, primarily focusing on the extraction of industrial metals. However, starting around 2014, the locality became a major focal point for mineralogists and collectors due to the discovery of exceptional specimens of borates and other rare species, including some of the finest known examples of imayoshiite. The site remains an active industrial mine while simultaneously serving as a critical locality for rare species research.

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