Legrandite

specimen number:
8311369

location:
Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico

description:

Golden yellow grouping of lustrous legrandite crystals without matrix. These show some transparency at the terminations. In very good condition all around.

The Ojuela Mine, located near Mapimi in Durango, Mexico, is a world-renowned mineral locality situated within a massive carbonate-hosted replacement deposit (CRD). Geologically, the ore bodies formed as hydrothermal fluids replaced Cretaceous-aged Aurora Limestone, creating extensive networks of oxidized caverns rich in secondary arsenate minerals. The mine is most famous for its world-class legrandite specimens, a rare zinc arsenate hydroxide that occurs here in spectacular, vibrant canary-yellow spray-like clusters and fan-shaped aggregates of high luster. Historically, mining at the site dates back to the Spanish colonial era in the late 1500s, but large-scale modern operations began in the 1890s under the Penoles company, focusing on silver, lead, and zinc production. While commercial mining for base metals largely ceased in the late 1940s, the mine has remained active for decades as a premier source of collectible mineral specimens. Today, the site is recognized both for its incredible mineral diversity and for the iconic Puente de Ojuela, a massive suspension bridge built in 1898 to facilitate ore transport across a deep canyon.

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