Mimetite

specimen number:
8311427

location:
Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico

description:
Choice lustrous crystallized mimetite with little attached matrix. Classic stuff for this locality. In good condition choice thumbnail.

The Santa Eulalia mining district, situated in the central part of the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, is one of the most significant silver-lead-zinc deposits in North America. Geologically, it is a vast carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) where hydrothermal fluids interacted with thick sequences of Cretaceous limestones, creating massive chimneys and mantos of sulfide and secondary oxide minerals. The district is world-famous for its exceptional mimetite specimens, which typically occur in the oxidized zones as lustrous, botryoidal crusts or prismatic crystals in vivid shades of yellow, orange, and brownish-red. Historically, mining and quarrying at Santa Eulalia began in the early 1700s, with official discoveries around 1703 leading to the founding of the city of Chihuahua to support the district's immense wealth. Large-scale industrial production has been nearly continuous for over 300 years, with major modern operations like the Francisco Portillo (formerly San Antonio) and the Buena Tierra mines being managed by companies such as Grupo Mexico.

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