Perovskite

specimen number:
2133216

location:
Perovskite Knob, San Benito Co., California, USA

description:
Lustrous black crystals of perovskite measuring to 0.3 cm in size on matrix. Classic locality for the species. In good condition.

Perovskite Knob, located in the New Idria District of San Benito County, California, is a specialized mineralogical site situated within the sprawling New Idria Serpentine Massif. Geologically, the site is part of a massive tectonic fragment of altered oceanic mantle rock that was pushed into the Earth's crust. The mineralization at Perovskite Knob occurs within narrow veins and pockets in the serpentinite, where hydrothermal activity facilitated the growth of rare titanium-bearing minerals. It is most famous for its namesake mineral, perovskite, which occurs here as sharp, lustrous, black to dark brown octahedral crystals, often found on a contrasting matrix of clinochlore or serpentine. Historically, the area was explored during the peak years of mercury mining in the New Idria district, which spanned from the mid-19th century through the early 1970s. While the knob itself was never a major industrial source for ore, it has been a well-known destination for mineralogists and collectors since the mid-20th century, remaining an important type-locality for understanding the mineral diversity of California's coast range serpentinites.

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