Penfieldite

specimen number:
2351058

location:
Margarita Mine, Caracoles, Sierra Gorda, Antofagosta, Chile

description:
Rich colorless masses of penfieldite across the top of matrix with blue pseudoboleite.

The Margarita Mine is situated in the historical Caracoles mining district within the extremely arid Atacama Desert of Sierra Gorda, Antofagasta, Chile. The district became famous following rich silver discoveries in the 1870s, where primary lead-zinc-silver hydrothermal sulfide mineralization underwent severe secondary oxidation due to hyperarid desert weathering. This unique geologic environment fostered the development of rare secondary halogen and halide minerals, making the locality historically significant for silver extraction and highly prized among mineral collectors for fine micro-specimens of rare lead hydroxychlorides such as penfieldite, caracolite, and pseudoboleite.

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