Orpiment

specimen number:
2072006

location:
Quiruvilca Mine, La Libertad, Peru

description:
This is an outstanding example for the species and locality. Beautiful deep orange lustrous and slightly translucent crystals of orpiment measuring to 1.0 cm in size are covering the top of matrix. This is in really good condition for one of these. From the early 1980s and at one time part of the collection of Stan Woolams. The quality is excellent.

The Quiruvilca Mine, located in La Libertad, Peru, is part of a high elevation mining district in the Andes known for polymetallic deposits rich in silver, lead, zinc, and copper. Mining activity in the area began in the early 20th century and continued for many decades, with underground workings developed to follow hydrothermal veins cutting through volcanic host rocks. These veins formed from mineralizing fluids that deposited a wide range of sulfide and secondary minerals under varying conditions. Among the notable collector minerals from Quiruvilca is orpiment, which in this locality commonly shows an orange coloration and occurs as crystalline coatings and aggregates in the oxidized zones of the deposit. These specimens formed under low temperature conditions where arsenic rich solutions allowed for the development of well defined crystals.

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