Olivenite

specimen number:
1052537

location:
Tintic, Juab Co., Utah, USA

description:
Classic specimen from Utah with deep green lustrous prismatic crystals of olivenite lining it shallow open pocket in matrix. In good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label dating this to the very early 20th century. This is shown at the end of the video.

The Tintic Mining District, located primarily in Juab and Utah counties, Utah, is one of the most productive and geologically complex mineral regions in the United States. The district is characterized by extensive replacement deposits and fissure veins hosted in Paleozoic-aged limestone and dolomite that were intruded by Tertiary-aged igneous rocks, specifically the Silver City monzonite stock. This magmatic activity triggered the flow of metal-rich hydrothermal fluids, which created massive ore bodies containing silver, lead, gold, copper, and zinc. Historically, the district was discovered in 1869 following the initial find at the Sunbeam claim, leading to the rapid growth of boomtowns like Eureka. Production peaked between the late 1800s and the 1920s, though significant mining operations continued well into the 20th century, with some activity persisting into the 1980s and 1990s. The Tintic District is also internationally famous as a type locality for several rare minerals, particularly secondary copper and arsenic species found in the oxidized zones of mines like the Mammoth and the Centennial-Eureka.

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