Pyrite with Sphalerite

specimen number:
2072332

location:
Huanzala mine, Ancash, Peru

description:
Lustrous octahedral crystals of pyrite in a cluster with sphalerite. Very minimal micro-damage present. The specimen was part of the collection of Jordi Povill, Barcelona, Spain at one time.

The Huanzala Mine, located in the Huallanca District of the Dos de Mayo Province in Peru, is a world-class polymetallic replacement deposit situated within the high Andes. Geologically, the mineralization occurs as massive sulfide skarns and replacement bodies hosted in the Cretaceous Santa and Carhuaz Formations, where metal-rich hydrothermal fluids interacted with limestone and shale. The mine is legendary for producing what are widely considered the finest pyrite specimens in the world, characterized by sharp, mirror-lustrous octahedrons, pyritohedrons, and cubes that frequently occur in large, aesthetically pleasing clusters. Historically, modern mining and quarrying operations at Huanzala were initiated in 1968 by the Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company of Japan. The facility has remained a prolific producer of zinc, lead, and silver concentrates for over five decades, maintaining continuous operations through the late 20th century and into the current era. As of 2026, the Huanzala Mine continues to be a major industrial site and a primary source of high-quality pyrite and fluorite specimens for the international mineralogical community.

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